


Good decisions, bad decisions, and everything in between

by Kitsunene



Category: Kingdom Hearts (Video Games)
Genre: Axel is a bad influence, Friendship, M/M, Sexual Content, but a good friend, especially when you weren’t suppose to have one in the first place, making new friends, rated for language, regrowing a heart is hard
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-20
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-03-17 13:40:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 31,877
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29593617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kitsunene/pseuds/Kitsunene
Summary: Xemnas has been revived by the crew in Radiant Garden. Isa is more than willing to help him heal and learn to live with a heart of his own. Axel thinks it’s all a bad idea, up to the point he doesn’t.A short story on how Axel and Xemnas learn to get along for Isa’s sake.
Relationships: Isa & Lea (Kingdom Hearts), Isa/Xemnas (Kingdom Hearts), Lea & Xemnas (Kingdom Hearts), Saïx/Xemnas (Kingdom Hearts), past Isa/Lea
Comments: 3
Kudos: 16





	Good decisions, bad decisions, and everything in between

**Author's Note:**

> My first time posting, finally... usually I write a little more smutty, but I challenged myself to keep it clean-ish and sweet. Big thanks to my bestie and beta reader Ashe, idk how to tag you here, but you know I love you bitch! Hope you enjoy!

Axel wanted it to be known that he was firmly, vehemently against the idea. He beyond hated it, beyond loathing even. He hated what it meant, hated what it represented, hated all the changes it would mean, and more than anything else he hated that he wasn’t supposed to hate it. Not as a guardian of light, not as a “good guy” and not as Isa’s best friend.  
No he wouldn’t begrudge his best friend his wish to be reunited with a former lover... but why did he have to be the one? Hadn’t he caused enough pain to all of them? Sure he would have his own heart now, and sure Even and Sora amongst a few others thought he could be useful, but why now? Things were just calming down. Everyone was rescued, Isa was starting to get along with Roxas and Xion. Why’d Terra have to mention him now?  
He had said it started out as almost a low hum in the back of his mind. An awareness of another awareness. A longing in the pit of his heart. A sort of melancholy when he happened to see any of the former members of the Organization. An apparently “deep sadness, yet profound happiness” when ever he was near Isa. And really just an over all general confusion on Terra’s part as to why.  
Until he mentioned it to Sora.  
Until Sora mentioned that was what it felt like with Roxas, Xion, and Ventus.  
Until they mutually realized that meant good ol’ Xemnas was alive and kicking, just chilling in Terra’s heart.  
Screaming really. But who’s splitting hairs here? Certainly not Axel.  
Honestly Axel wished that would have been the end of it. That they would have both decided to keep it quiet and left Xemnas to rot there. But no, of course not. They were both too damn good for their own good.  
So they told Ienzo, who told Even, who told king Ansem, who agreed he could be useful, if he was truly reformed. So they prepared a replica for him.  
And of course they would need someone to help mediate moving the heart to the body. It helped if that person was 1, good with magic and spirits, like a diviner, and 2, close to the heart in question. So of course they got Isa involved.  
And that’s how they got here. Before Axel had even had a chance to voice his opinion. Not that it would have mattered. Not when his best friend was making that face. And smiling that way. Axel knew he couldn’t say or do anything about it. But he still didn’t like it...  
“We’re expecting him to wake up soon.” Isa’s voice says softly, cutting through the fog of Axel’s current mental state.  
He sighed and stared at his oldest friend.  
Isa looked younger than he had in years. His hair was loosely braided over one shoulder and he wore a baggy tan sweater. He had a soft smile, and a glint of hope in his eyes that Axel hadn’t seen in what felt like forever.  
Isa returned a sigh of his own and took a sip of his tea. “I don’t know why you seem so surprised over this. You knew that he and I had been together for quite sometime and...”  
“I know Is, I know...I just... I don’t know not ready to forgive him yet? Like everyone else seems to have already moved on and forgiven him and I just...”  
“No ones forgiven him yet, hell we don’t even know if he wants to be forgiven yet. There’s still a chance he wakes up and wants us all to fuck off and die.”  
“I know...”  
“And if that happens I know and am prepared for what must be done.” Isa said resolutely, staring into his tea, looking anything but.  
“It won’t come to that.” Axel replied.  
And he knew it wouldn’t, not if everything Terra was saying is true. And he really doubted Terra could lie period, let alone about something as serious as this.  
It wasn’t long after that when Xemnas did finally begin to stir and blinked open his eyes.  
They were no longer gold, glowing with the hunger of the darkness, but instead a steely blue grey. Not as bright or blue as Terra’s, but similar in tone.  
Isa sat by his side and started talking to him as Even and Ienzo started checking his vitals.  
“Xemnas, do you know where you are?”  
Xemnas nodded in reply.  
“Do you remember what happened?”  
Another nod.  
They helped him sit up right, just as Isa was about to ask another question he felt a hand gently wrap around the back of his neck and pull him forward, and a gentle pair of lips against his own.  
“I have missed you, my diviner.” Xemnas hoarsely whispered before slumping forward and once again slipping in to unconsciousness.  
“Well that was a bit more movement than I expected right off the bat.” Ienzo commented.  
“That would be why he lost consciousness again so quickly. It may take him a while to understand that he won’t be fully recovered for quite sometime. And quite possibly never as powerful as he was before, but that has yet to be seen.” Even said with a sigh.  
Meanwhile, Isa sat there wide eyed, with Xemnas still slumped against him. After a moment he came back to reality and began to settle Xemnas back into his bed.  
Axel knew then, he was lost. There was no talking Isa out of it now. No talking him into Twilight Town. He would stay here, and continue helping. Just like he had been doing. Axel just hoped it didn’t turn around and bite any of them in the ass this time. 

Axel had decided the gummy phones were quite possibly the best invention ever. He really did not give Ienzo enough credit for them. And the squirrels too, or rats? Whatever they are...  
But the phones were great. Connected great with the other phones on whatever world you were currently located on, and allowed for quick easy communication with other worlds as well.  
It had quickly become the number one way to keep in contact with everyone in his messed up little family. Especially those he didn’t get to see regularly, like Kairi and Isa.  
Especially Isa, who’s lack of recent social interaction had not gone unnoticed by Axel.  
There was always something, “Sorry we’re not feeling up to it.” Or “We’re going on a date, like a real date.” Or “I’m scheduled to help in the lab.” Which were all somewhat reasonable, Axel supposed. But more often then not lately it had been “Xemnas is having a bad day.” And if that didn’t set off alarm bells and whistles to Axel...  
He knew first hand how difficult (painful) it was to suddenly have your heart shoved back into you after years of feeling almost nothing. And sure, it was probably worse when you really didn’t have a heart of your own to start with, but still.  
Axel knew Isa better than almost anyone else, he knew just how loyal he was and just how easily he could throw out his own good for the sake of someone he cared for, and unfortunately he very much so cared for Xemnas.  
So Axel really wasn’t all that surprised when his latest attempt to hang out was once again shot down.  
“So, whadda say? You me and coffee or ice cream? We could even go grab a few drinks since we’re both legal and I’m not with Roxy or Xion right now.”  
“I’m sorry Lea, Xemnas is just having one of his bad days today. I don’t want to leave him alone right now...”  
Axel was determined to ignore the deep weary voice in the background of Isa’s phone telling him he could go out if he wanted to. He was also determined to ignore the text from an unknown Radiant Garden gummy phone, which reiterated the point.  
He knew Isa wasn’t being held against his will. He knew Isa could go out for a few hours alone, and that Xemnas hadn’t woven some new intricate web of lies and schemes to keep his lover at his side. No new plans of world conquest, or budding darkness. He knew that Xemnas really was just that depressed and Isa just that loyal.  
And it had almost nothing to do with the fact that he contacted almost everyone else residing in the castle on a regular basis to make sure that wasn’t the case.  
Sure most had been reluctant to initiate any sort of real conversation with Axel at first. And sure being left on read by Aeleus for over a week stung a bit. But eventually everyone came to a sort of understanding and were willing to give him bits and pieces of information here and there.  
Until he hit the blabber mouth jackpot. When Myde popped back up in Radiant Garden.  
He was welcomed with, mostly Ienzo’s, open arms, and had at least been tolerated by the rest. He was even learning to be less terrified of Isa, for the most part.  
“I’m telling you, he really is a pushover once you get to know him. As long as he’s not hangry. Or under caffeinated. He’s had a horrible caffeine addiction since we were like 10, may have been my fault, who’s to say really, but yeah. Beyond those things he really is a great guy!” Axel once told him.  
Myde had really only actively tried to avoid Isa first thing in the morning since then, but he very quickly found it best to really just avoid everyone in general in the morning there, at least until coffee had been had.  
But all in all, Myde was great for general information about the comings and goings of the castle. And while maybe not always the sharpest tool in the shed, he was good at recon and brutally honest.  
Which is why Axel knew, there were no new plans of grandeur, just a sad heap of a man trying to cope with truly feeling for the first time, and a loyal, loving partner, hoping to help his lover figure it out.  
But that didn’t keep Axel from worrying, or being curious.  
“Fuck it” Axel thought aloud. “I have a long-standing invitation to visit whenever I want, from the king. And Xemnas just added to that, if Isa’s gonna be mad at anyone, it can be him.”  
And with that he dug his trusty coat out of his bag, threw it on, and opened a portal through to Radiant Garden.  
When he stepped back out he was just outside of the castle grounds.  
The castle somehow seemed so much less intimidating nowadays. Maybe it was the fact that when they did rebuild they purposely designed it to more open, and less isolated. Maybe it was because he had lived in the castle for a short time and 2 more, twice as terrifying. Hell maybe it was just cause he was taller now, whatever it was it felt more welcoming, but somehow less magical.  
And Aeleus and Dylan seemed way less intimidating, he thought as he approached them at the entryway, giving a lax salute.  
“Here to make trouble, Lea?” Dylan asked with a grin.  
“I dunno yet. Maybe? I was thinkin’a challenging Isa to another race up the castle walls. Ya know? Seein’ how far we could make it up now before one of you two got ahold of us. Sound like fun?”  
Axel watched as the grin fell from Dylan face and Aeleus grimaced slightly.  
“Please do not. It was bad enough dealing with you two doing that at what 14? 15? I don’t want to have to try to chase two twenty somethings down off the wall, and especially not you two twenty somethings.”  
“Especially if you get Isa wrong and he...” Axel made a growling gesture and held up his hands like claws.  
“Yes I am well aware he can still go berserk.” Dylan sighed exasperatedly.  
“Ah, well then... you wouldn’t happen to know where I might find grumpy guts at the moment?”  
“ I’m not entirely sure, but he is probably with Xemnas... last I heard it was one of his... off days. So they are most likely in the old east wing drawing room. We more or less turned it in to a sort of tv/rec room. That would be the best place for you to start.”  
With another lax salute Axel strolled past the guards and in to the castle, but not before Dylan could be heard shouting about how he’d better not catch them trying to climb the walls again. It made Axel chuckle, and think of far simpler times. It really had been forever ago since his and Isa’s near weekly attempts to break into the castle.  
Far simpler times, indeed. If he thought about it to hard he’d almost wished that he would’ve listened to Isa when he was hesitant that last fateful attempt.  
Then maybe they wouldn’t have been so driven to become apprentices.  
“Coulda, woulda, shoulda...” Axel thought as he trudged up the stairs that would take him to the drawing room.  
Axel didn’t know what to expect when he got to the room, but it most certainly wasn’t Xemnas, former Superior of the realms in between, in cat print pajamas, in the middle of the day, wrapped in a blanket cocoon, sitting on a couch, staring vaguely in the direction of a tv showing some baking competition show, looking very much so like he had just had a good cry.  
“Didn’t take you for much of a reality tv type of guy.”  
It took almost a full minute before Xemnas even look like he registered Axel had spoken, at which point he looked at Axel then to the tv, then back to Axel, and shrugged. Another full minute past before he spoke.  
“It was what Isa put on. He said it was mindless drivel. And that it might help... distract me.”  
Xemnas let out a sigh and Axel took a seat in an armchair.  
“I really think he just hopes it will do something to spike my appetite.”  
Axel could imagine. Someone as tall and muscular as Xemnas must require a few thousand calories to stay in shape. He’d seen Terra eat, and he was still no where near as tall or broad as Xemnas yet.  
“So do you happen to know where the big bad blue is right now?” Axel asked, not too terribly interested in spending that much alone time with Xemnas.  
Xemnas blinked for a few seconds, as if just realizing his lover had gone, he began to look a little panicked. Until he shut his eyes and took a deep breath.  
“Water. He went to go get us some water. He should be back soon.”  
Axel nodded as he sat back in his chair, keeping a close eye on Xemnas, who still looked a little too in the edge of panic.  
Less than a minute later Isa did enter the room. A soft “I’m back.” Announcing his arrival.  
“I brought water and some fresh fruit, that hopefully you can nibble on, and ... Lea, what are you doing here?”  
To his credit, Isa really didn’t seem all that phased or surprised by his friend’s sudden appearance. He merely acknowledged him and moved past to put the tray he had been carrying on to the coffee table.  
“I’ll have you know I was invited.” Axel said, sticking his tongue out in a childishly.  
“Oh?” Isa replied, standing to his full height and crossing his arms in front of his chest, unfazed by Lea’s antics.  
Lea looked past Isa to what was meant to be his original target, but seeing the sad lump of a man Xemnas currently was, and how easily his anxiety seemed to be quelled by Isa’s presence, he couldn’t, in good consciousness, as a guardian of light, throw Xemnas under the bus like that.  
He sighed internally, but outwardly showed no loss of bravado.  
“Uh, yeah, from the king. Duh? I lived here too ya know? Or has it been so long that you have forever forgotten the follies of our youth?” Axel waxed dramatically, prompting Isa to resume pouring water into some sort of sealed cup with a straw.  
He handed the cup to Xemnas, and just as Axel was about to comment on why Xemnas would need a sippy cup, he noticed the way Xemnas’s hands just couldn’t seem to steady themselves. It wasn’t anything major, it didn’t look like he would just slosh the drink everywhere, but it was noticeable. And Isa was ever practical.  
“If you just sit there with your mouth open your gonna catch flies.” Isa quipped.  
“I was just going to say I also am in charge of two humans with very special bodies, which require Dr. E’s special attention and care. So like, I could be here for them...”  
Isa handed Xemnas an apple slice, and watched as he began to nibble, before turning to Lea and arching his eyebrow in a most unimpressed way.  
“Yes, yet I neither see nor hear them, and less than an hour ago you told me you were “flying solo” for the day.”  
“Yeah well....” and with that Axel stuck his tongue out again.  
“I see. Well, you do make the most compelling argument with that. I suppose I should seek out your new found wisdom and maturity more often.” Isa said rolling his eyes.  
He settled in next to Xemnas, and wrapped a bit of Xemnas’s blanket nest around himself. Which frustrated Axel, because it definitely meant that Isa had no intentions of leaving this place. Though honestly Axel should have guessed that by the fact that Isa was, in fact, still in his own pajamas, well past noon too. That was practically unheard of. Not to mention that his hair, while obviously brushed, had not been styled at all, with his top layers flowing freely where they will.  
Honestly Axel had a hard time remembering the last time he saw Isa so casual. Though he supposed that wasn’t the worst. It was nice seeing the “old Isa” starting to come back.  
“So...” Axel heard Isa’s voice start.  
“So?” He replied  
“So, your here. I highly doubt you came all that way just to sit here and watch “The Great Garden Bake Off””  
Axel shrugged, “I don’t know, maybe I did. Not like I can watch Radiant Garden tv in Twilight Town. I mean I’m sure I could if I, like, ask Ienzo or somethin, but as it is now...”  
Isa rolled his eyes again.  
“I’m inviting you to start a conversation, since I assume that is why you are here.”  
“Man, I think you need to work on you conversation starting then.”  
There was an unexpected snort of laughter that came from behind Isa, which made them both stare at Xemnas. He only tucked his head and continued to nibble at the apple slices Isa had given him. Suddenly realizing how hungry he actually was.  
Isa smiled softly as he turned back to Axel, gently patting Xemnas’s leg. Just as he was about to return to chiding Lea, Isa heard Xemnas’s stomach growl.  
“Oh? Has your appetite finally returned?”  
He asked turning back to Xemnas.  
Xemnas didn’t say anything, but he did nod, as if he were embarrassed by the fact. Axel was almost stunned.  
“It’s alright. It is well past lunchtime. Why don’t I go and make some sandwiches for us?”  
Xemnas almost looked like he was going to argue against the idea when his stomach once again betrayed him. So once again he nodded.  
“It’s alright, I’ll make it quick.” Isa said giving Xemnas’s hand a gentle squeeze.  
He stood up and gently pressed his lips to Xemnas’s temple. And for a moment Axel felt like he was intruding. He could hardly believe that these two people were the same that not even a full year prior had been trying to murder him and his friends. Love really could work miracles he supposed.  
He shook that thought out of his head almost as quickly as it came. He wasn’t convinced. He couldn’t be convinced, not that easy. Sure Isa maybe be stupidly in love with Xemnas but that didn’t mean the opposite was necessarily true.  
“How ‘bout I give you a hand?” He asked as he stood and stretched. He still didn’t want to spend much time alone with Xemnas, and he had lots of questions he was dying to ask Isa now.  
Isa quickly flicked his eyes over Xemnas, as if making sure he would be okay alone again for a bit. Once he made up his mind that it should be fine he nodded at Axel.  
He kissed Xemnas again. “We’ll be right back.”  
And with that, he lead Axel out of the tv room and down to a kitchen.  
“So?” Isa asked as he began to pull out various things for sandwiches.  
“So... so what? I didn’t say anything, did you hear me say somethin’, cause I don’t recall saying anything?”  
Isa fixed Axel with an unimpressed look.  
“I know you Lea. I’ve known you since we were like 3. Probably before then even. You didn’t just “stop by”, you came here for a reason.  
And even if you did, by some miracle, come here without any ulterior motive, I know you have questions now. Hundreds probably.”  
Axel help up his hands in a placating gesture. Isa had picked up a knife to start on the sandwiches mid speech.  
“Look, I’ll admit, I was comin to check on you, cause I was a little worried. I mean it’s only like the hundredth time you’ve turned down hanging out cause “Xemnas is having a bad day”. So yeah, I wanted to come see just what a bad day looked like.”  
Axel winced a little. Isa had stopped cutting the tomato, and was visibly grinding his teeth.  
“Well, now you’ve seen.” He resumed chopping, with more force than necessary. “And you can clearly see, there are no plots, no schemes, I’m not being held against my will, or used as some living puppet. We’re not...”  
“I know, I know, I know Isa. I got it... I was just worried, ya know?”  
Isa scoffed but didn’t say anything else.  
“I mean, you are right, I do have like a million questions now, but I get it. No schemes, no impending doom, no brainwashing, I got it, but...”  
Isa let out a sigh, as he stared up and at Axel. “Yes?”  
“Promise you’ll answer? And answer honestly?”  
“I will answer as openly and honestly as I can, as long as the questions don’t get too personal...”  
“Come on Isa! What’s the point if they aren’t personal?”  
“You know exactly what I mean.” Isa said glaring.  
“No idea what you’re talkin about...how long have those hickies been there?”  
Isa’s hand immediately few to the sensitive spots in his neck, and he cursed his pale complexion. He intensified his glare at Lea, before sighing and lowering his hand. “Why do I put up with you?”  
“Cause I’m you best friend, have been all your life. You wouldn’t know what to do with out me pestering you constantly.”  
Isa lifted an unimpressed eyebrow at Lea.  
“Come on dude, it’s not like I’m gonna ask you how big Xemnas’s dick is or anything like that.”  
“Big.”  
“Didn’t want to know, didn’t need to know, gonna try to forget I know...”  
“About 11 1/2, 12 inches...”  
“Dude stop. Please. Also, how do you walk? Actually no, please don’t tell me that either...”  
“You told me to answer honestly...”  
“Okay, okay, I got it. Nothing sexy personal, please stop giving me unsolicited information about your love life now.”  
Isa had a shit eating grin on his face, “Very well then. What would you like to know?”  
“How long has he been like this?”  
“This episode in particular started around 9 this morning, but he’s had them on and off since he came back. We all have. I mean we’ve all been through so much, it’s a wonder we all don’t spend more time like that.  
The episodes are becoming less frequent, for him, and for all of us, but we all still have our days. We’re all still healing, growing, and learning.”  
“So it’s not that uncommon then?”  
“No. Almost any one day of the week you’ll find someone taking a mental health day around here.”  
“That’s not what I meant Isa.”  
“You remember what it’s like, right? Your heart slowly piecing itself back together from the darkness. And half of us here have had to do it twice. And Xemnas... Xemnas wasn’t ever supposed to have a heart to begin with.”  
“So he for sure does this time?”  
“Yes! Of course he does. He wouldn’t be able to bind with the replica otherwise. But it is still fresh, and fragile”  
“And more likely to fall into the dark again?”  
“No, actually. It took Xemnas and Even years to get the first replicas to work, and it took a heart like Sora and Riku’s before they came even close. The replicas need a strong heart, a heart that will fight to exist. Xemnas had Terra’s heart as a base, which lent him some strength, but he knows his heart came from the darkness, and that darkness will always exist within him, but if he gives in again, the replica will give out, and he will truly fade” Isa sighed.  
“What do you mean? Are the replicas unstable? Are Roxas and Xion...”  
“They’re fine Lea. They have strong hearts, hearts not forged in the darkness, and moreover young hearts. They form a better bond the the body when they are still young. They can truly make it their own much faster than a full grown adult can. It helps that their hearts were full of light to begin with. They’ll be fine. But as an adult with a fresh heart, Xemnas is more at risk of completely disappearing, especially if he is exposed to too much darkness too soon.”  
“So no powers then? Or have you even tried to test?”  
“We’ve tested him a bit. He can still summon a corridor, like the rest of us. He can summon the ethereal blades, teleport a bit. But doing more than any one of those things at a time makes home weak and sick. We haven’t tested his powers beyond that. It’s too risky.”  
“So...”  
“So?”  
“So what set him off this morning?”  
“The guilt, same as always.”  
“The guilt?”  
“Yes. The guilt.” Isa let out another sigh. “You remember how long it took until I was ready to face Roxas and Xion, how guilt ridden I felt every time I even thought about them...  
And I had memories of a heart before. I knew I would have to face those emotions eventually, that guilt, wether in this life or the next, I knew.  
Xemnas didn’t have those base feelings of guilt for anything. Terra’s base emotions could come through sometimes, but Xehanort did his best to override and stamp out everything that didn’t cause some sort of endorphin high. Pleasure, pain... It was how he could most easily control all of the “true Xehanorts”, treat them almost like drug addicts.  
At any rate, he wasn’t prepared for the emotions to hit the way they are now that he’s aware. He knows he hurt us, all of us. He knows everything he did was cold a calculated, meant to keep us in line and follow out his master’s plan. And he feels awful about it all. Every missed birthday, every missed “life experience”, there are days he just looks at me and sobs. Knowing what he’s done to me, remembering this.” He said pointing to his facial scar.  
Axel winced, that hadn’t been a particularly favorite day for anyone in the organization. Certainly not a very young and ambitious Saïx and Axel. And he was glad to hear it wasn’t well remembered with Xemnas either.  
Axel honestly had no idea how the former had been able to forgive it, let alone fall in love with the one who put it there. But then again, he supposed that was the great mystery of love.  
“So, yes, the guilt is often overwhelming for him. And since he is still learning have to process all of it, it often results in this.”  
“Semi-comatose, watching reality tv, wrapped in a blanket cocoon, well past noon? It’s not the worst I’ve seen, but I suppose we all have been there.  
What about those shakes though? That normal normal? Or just a depression thing, or...”  
“They aren’t “normal normal” but they more frequent than anyone would like. A combination of his heart still binding with the replica and the fact that he hasn’t eaten in over 24 hours, hence the sandwiches. Should I make you one as well?”  
“Nah. I’m good. Now that I’ve seen what a “bad day” looks like, I think I’ll leave it to you. But I am curious, with all this bonding still going on and learning emotions and all of that, what’s a good day like around here?”  
“A good day?”  
“Yeah, you know, typical, no break downs, everyone’s mostly happy and things are ok, good day?”  
“Well, on a typical day, when we are all mostly functioning, we all try our best to do just that, function. With the city still being repaired we are all trying to help how we can, mostly acting as makeshift healers and medics, sometimes as makeshift engineers. Using the science and knowledge everyone here has acquired over the years to help wherever and however we can.”  
“Your a medic now?”  
“Oh, no, I’m not. I just help with the paperwork. Every once in a while I get called in to assist, but mostly I just make sure everyone else is on task.”  
“Come on Isa, don’t sell yourself short man! Your just as smart as the rest of them. Hell you know the replica program and all it’s jargon almost as well as Even or Xemnas. You could be a doctor, or an engineer, or anything really. Your stubborn enough. If you put your mind to it...”  
Isa smiled and let out a huff of laughter, “I’m sure I could too, but right now that’s not what my heart’s calling to.  
Even and Xemnas both tell me the same thing though. Ienzo too. I just don’t feel it right now. Maybe science has just left too bad of an impression after the last time.  
But back to your inquiry, we do what we can to help the kingdom here, and help each other. On a typical day Xemnas and I wake up and help each other get dressed and ready, come down for breakfast with everyone. We all go work for a while, and then have lunch. Back to work for a bit and then we all try to have dinner together, most nights.  
After that, it depends, some night Myde pulls us all together for game night, others we get together to watch tv. Xemnas and I have grown rather fond of evening walks in the gardens...  
But in all honesty, that’s it. That’s a typical day around here. I suppose a good day would be one wherein all of that happens and no one has any breakdowns or mental fits. But we’re all still healing, and learning and growing. As long as we all keep moving forward I’ll take a few “bad days” like today, and worse.”  
“Look at you! All emotionally healing and shit! I’m impressed.”  
Isa huffed and rolled his eyes.  
“No seriously, when you first came back, you were so worried you weren’t “going to ever fully heal”. I was worried you weren’t gonna let yourself heal. But look at you, proving us both wrong. I’m proud of you.”  
Isa made a noncommittal noise, but his ears had started to turn red with embarrassment.  
“Still, it looks like other people got a long road ahead of ‘em. So I guess it’s good you for some healing in first.”  
“It’s not as if he’s completely dependent. Xemnas is still a fully capable being. Except in the kitchen, he is helpless alone in the kitchen, but I’ve been told Terra is also known for his lack of cooking prowess. But, Xemnas does still try, and he is there for me on my bad days. Far more than he’s ever been able to be before.”  
“Sounds like your living the dream, the love of your life, or at least a couple of your lives at this point. Living in a big fancy restored castle. You know a lot of teenage girls would kill for your life. And probably your hair...”  
Isa once again rolled his eyes at his friend. “I think most of the teenage girls we know have had more than enough of “living in fancy castles”, and I doubt they want to have anything to do with my hair.”  
“Are you kidding? I have it from a highly reliable source that most of them are highly jealous with how fast it grows, and ever since you let Xion braid it that one time, she won’t stop talking about how soft it is.”  
“Yes, well...” Isa blushed, as he busied himself with finishing up the sandwiches he had been working on.  
“Yes, well...” Axel teased. “Yes, well, it’s nice to see that you are making friends outside of just me. And it’s nice to see that your healing, and that your helping others heal, even if I’m not completely on board and sold just yet on this whole thing...”  
Isa started to glare again.  
“I’m not stomping my feet and saying I hate it, I’m just still not ready to forgive and forget just yet.”  
Isa sighed, “I suppose that’s fair. I of all people understand forgiveness is something that must be earned.”  
“Exactly. And there is still plenty of time for that to happen. I think right now it’s probably best if we do give him some room, and time to have his emotional understanding. And I guess it’s probably time I let you get back and feed him. Before he goes feral and starts to eat the furniture or something.”  
Isa smiled a small, but genuine smile, “Thank you, Lea, for everything.”  
“It’s nothin’” Axel replied, scratching the back of his head.  
Isa took the opportunity to playfully punch Axel in the arm.  
“Ow! What was that for?”  
“You’ve been skipping out on your upper body workouts again, I see. You’re never going to be able to land a decent hit with that Keyblade of yours if you don’t build some strength to back it up.”  
“Well we can’t all be built like brick shithouses...”  
“With a bit more effort, and a proper diet...”  
“Hey, there’s nothing wrong with my diet, or arm strength...”  
“If you like getting your ass kicked...”  
“Hey, your just jealous cause my metabolism is still like it was when we were kids, mister “ macro counter”.”  
“Counting macros and watching what I put in my body has nothing to do with your lack of training.”  
“Mmhmm.”  
“I just hope I am there when all those sea salt ice creams finally do catch up with you.”  
“It’s cool. I’ll just have Roxas and Xion roll me to the ice cream shop for more.”  
“Insatiable.”  
“You know it. I’m gonna let you get back to “watching what you put in your body” while I go eat 2 people’s worth of ice cream.”  
Isa blushed and then chuckled, the double entandre not lost on him. He shook his head as he loaded the sandwiches onto a tray.  
“Tell Xemmy-poo to feel better for me. See ya Isa.”  
Isa smiles again, “See ya, Lea.”

The next time Axel really met up with Isa and Xemnas was under seemingly much better circumstances. At least Xemnas wasn’t an awkward crying mess of a human. Isa, on the other hand was clearly in a mood most foul, and though he was doing his best to keep it from the children, the “adults” were taking the brunt of it.  
“Dude, did you two like get in a fight or something in the way here?” Axel whispered to Xemnas as the were divvying up the camping gear.  
“No, we haven’t had any sort of disagreement in weeks. He was looking forward to this trip, then he just became irritated. I assumed it had something to do with the moon and the whole reason we came out here in the first place. Should I go and speak with him? Try to improve morale or something like that?” Xemnas asked as an obviously uninterested Roxas walked by, playing a game on his phone.  
“Nah. I should probably be the one to talk to him. It’s probably my fault, somehow... Anyway, if you guys haven’t been “having disagreements” it probably best I have a best friend talk with him, ya know bro’s before... yeah... I’m just gonna go find Isa now and hope I don’t get murdered.”  
Xemnas had a look of mild concern on his face. “Good luck with that.”  
And with those words Axel wondered over to the edge of the clearing where Isa was, going over trail maps.  
“Hey man, can we talk?”  
“You do seem to have the ability. Honestly, I find it’s getting you to stop that seems to be the real issue.” Isa replied with out looking away from the maps.  
“Ouch man, you really aren’t pulling punches today.” Axel said, dramatically clutching his heart.  
“I can assure you, I’m not currently throwing any either, and I would like to keep it that way for as long as possible. So, if you would please...” Isa trailed off finally looking at Axel.  
“Dude. What is your deal? You were the one who wanted to come out here. You planned and set this whole thing up.”  
“No Lea. I did not set this whole thing up.” Isa waved his hands towards the group of teenagers back towards the gear. “I planed a weekend get away with my lover, then discovered that he apparently requires a babysitter whenever we would like to get out of town for a bit. And apparently asking you to “babysit” means I get a full Keyblade escort...”  
“Hey you asked me to “come along” because people are still worried about your lover doing something crazy. You never said I needed to come alone.”  
Isa pulled out his phone and scrolled to the original message, then read aloud. “Hey Lea I have a bit of a favor to ask. There is a full moon soon and I would like to actually do this communion out in nature some where. The castle and grounds are nice, but I need somewhere a bit more “natural” every once in a while, you know. I’ve found a spot in a campground outside of town that should suit my purposes just fine, and I would like to take Xemnas with me. But apparently to do that we require at least one Keyblade wielder to “watch over us” and make sure we don’t do anything “evil or nefarious”. I was hoping I could convince you to be our supervisor for the trip?  
Your initial reply of “yeah man sounds great. No prob!”  
To which I responded “thanks Lea. Just make sure to bring your own tent and maybe set up a bit away. And probably bring some headphones still you know how it is after I have these communions...”  
“Yeah, no, I got it. Give you plenty of space afterwards. No problem! Sounds like a fun time. Sign me up!”” Isa finished before glaring at Axel.  
“Yeah, and I’m here.... oh. Well when you read it like that, I guess it becomes a bit more obvious...”  
“Yeah...” Isa deadpanned.  
“How was I supposed to get that from a text?” Axel asked.  
“How did you not?! Why did you think I wanted you to bring your own tent and headphones and set up half a mile away from us?!”  
“I don’t know?! You’ve always been kinda private? And maybe things changed in the last few years? I try not to think about your love life, so I wasn’t thinking that.”  
“Roxas and Xion I probably could have handled, but letting them invite more people on top of that? At least Naminé I know, but the other three? And thankfully Ienzo was held up at the castle. I don’t know that I would have been able to handle Myde on top of every one else.”  
“Dude, chill. Everything will be fine. You and Xem can still set up a ways away from everyone else. I’ll keep the kids distracted, and if worse comes to worse I’ll just tell them it’s bears, or Sasquatch, or something...”  
“Please don’t say anything that would prompt them to investigate. I don’t need to be responsible for anymore mental scarring.”  
“Relax, I’ll keep ‘em away. You can still have your freaky fun time.”  
“I highly doubt it will be “freaky fun time”...”  
“Ok, whatever. You can still have “sexual relations” with Xemnas out in the woods. Just try to keep it in your tent.”  
“Why are you like this?”  
“Because....”  
“Why are you like this and why do I tolerate you?”  
“Best friend...”  
Isa just rolled his eyes as he shook his head and smiled.  
“So... we good, man?” Axel asked.  
“Yes. We’re “good”. For now. I don’t plan on forgetting anytime soon...but for now...” Isa trailed off.  
“For now I’m hiding behind your boyfriend while we hike. Incase you decide to swing a tree branch at me or something.”  
“Whatever makes you feel safe.”  
They walked back towards Xemnas and the rest of the group.  
“Is everything alright?” Xemnas asked, as he stared out to his lover.  
Isa smiled and nodded yes, while Axel shoved past him.  
“Yeah, we’re all good here. I’m mean, we are now engaging in “operation human shield”” Axel replied.  
“Oh?”  
“Yeah, you’re the shield.”  
Xemnas raised a questioning brow.  
“He thinks putting you between us will somehow stop the inevitable dose of karma he has coming to him.” Isa said matter of factly.  
Once Axel reached what he deemed a “safe distance” from Isa, he turned and stuck out his tongue.  
Isa started in his direction, just to watch him jump behind Xemnas. He rolled his eyes and let out a huff of laughter.  
“Alright everyone,” he called out, “let’s gather around and start grabbing your gear. It’s about a 5 mile hike in.”  
“5 miles?” Isa heard one of the boys from Twilight Town complain.  
“Yes, and then we will still need to set up camp and gather wood for a fire. And I will need to set up my area for tomorrow night, so let’s not waist anymore time. Everyone load up and let’s head out.”  
And, with only a minimal amount of groaning, they all loaded up their gear and followed Isa’s lead into the forest.  
It took close to two hours for them to reach the spot Isa had chosen for them to make camp at, and another hour and a half for them to set up a decent camp site. As promised, Isa and Xemnas’s tent was set quite a bit away from the rest of the group.  
“Why are they set up so far away?” Hayner asked loudly.  
“Yeah. Why are they so far away?” Roxas reiterated, before whispering to Axel, “I thought we were supposed to be watching them?”  
“Don’t worry about where they’re setting up, trust me it’s for your own good.” Axel responded, before returning Roxas’s whisper. “We’re not here to watch anyone. I’m here to “keep an eye on Xemnas”. Besides we’re all actually here so Isa can do what he needs to with the full moon tomorrow, and you know he’d feel terrible if he lost control and anything happened. This way we can still get to them, but we don’t risk camping gear or any non-wielders.”  
Roxas’s eye widened in realization. That did make sense. While he still hadn’t fully “warmed up” to Isa, he did understand that he was much different from his previous counterpart, and didn’t often wish harm on anyone. So it did make sense that during is most emotionally volatile state he would want to keep some distance.  
He nodded his understanding to Axel, who was relieved at least someone had bought his excuse. Though judging by some of the snickering around them, others had already assumed the real reason beside the distance.  
After everything was set and a “manageable” fire had been established, (and several unmanageable ones narrowly avoided) meals were prepped, plans were set, and the afternoon pasted in relative peace.  
At some point Xemnas found a piece of wood and stared at it for a bit. After admiring its shape and structure for a bit he sat with it and took out a knife. He began to cut away at the bark and the started to roughy shape it into a more desirable form.  
“Whatcha doing?” Xion asked quitely as she wondered closer.  
She wouldn’t say she fully forgiven the man, and she certainly still held a deeply ingrained fear of him on some level, but with how vehemently Sora, Terra, and Isa vetted for him, she knew she should at least give him a chance. He had apologized, and promised to “turn a new leaf”, mostly he just seemed to want to have a chance to live a semi normal life with the one he cared for, and Xion found that endearing. Plus at this point she’d rather have more friends than grudges.  
For a moment Xemnas looked startled, surprised that anyone outside of Isa would try to talk to him sitting on the outskirts of camp, and then he looked down into his hands.  
“I don’t honestly know.” He answered before looking back up at Xion. “It just felt like the natural thing to do.” He shrugged and went back to carving. “I think I’d like to make it into a cat if I can. With its ears here and a tail over here.” He pointed. “I don’t know why, or how, but I’m fairly certain I can do it. Strange though, I don’t recall ever doing any wood working myself.”  
“It’s probably from Terra.” Xion offered quietly. “I’ve seen him whittle like that. He must have transferred that knowledge to you too.”  
Xemnas hummed thoughtfully, “I suppose that makes sense.”  
Xion smiled and nodded, “Hopefully it turns out the way you want it to! Oh, and Isa says dinner should be ready soon!”  
Xemnas nodded his understanding and went back to his whittling until a bit later when Isa’s voice called to him for food.  
Once dinner was had, campfire traditions began, songs sung, ghost stories told, and eventually a ridiculously oversized bag of marshmallows was pulled out.  
“All right, all right! Who’s ready for fluffy bunny?” Axel called out as he opened the bag.  
“Hell yeah” yelled Hayner and Pence as the high fived.  
Isa merely shook his head is disbelief and disgust. While Namine, Roxas, Xion, and Xemnas all stared at Axel blankly.  
“What’s fluffy bunny?” Namine asked shyly.  
“Are you kidding?!” Hayner all but shouted.  
“You guy have never played fluffy bunny before?!” Said Pence in equal disbelief.  
Namine shook her head and started to duck behind her sketch book.  
“I gather its some sort of game, but since several of us here don’t know of it why don’t you go over the rules?” Xemnas’s voice cut through before the boys had a chance to ridicule them more.  
“Riiiiight...” Axel began. “So fluffy bunny goes like this, each round we take a marshmallow, like so.” He said pulling one from the bag, “and you put it in your mouth and you say “fluffy bunny” the goal is to have the most marshmallows in your mouth and still be able to say “fluffy bunny” without spitting out or eating any of your marshmallows. Straight forward enough for ya?”  
“So we’re just trying to see how many marshmallows we can stuff in our face?” Roxas asked.  
“You got it!” Axel beamed.  
“Alright, I’m game.” Roxas replied with a shrug.  
“I’ll start!” Axel said, popping the marshmallow he had been holding in his mouth before passing the bag around.  
Ten rounds later there were only 3 left in the game, and Namine, Roxas, and Xion never thought they would be so close to dying of laughter, watching their former superior, nightmare to many, and his former lieutenant, who had been a nightmare in his own right, faces full of marshmallows repeating the words “fluffy bunny” over and over. Pence was holding his own against them both. Isa only lasted til round 12 but Xemnas and Pence persisted. Finally at round 15 Pence could fit no more, and “Lord Xemnas, ruler or nothing, and superior of the realms between” was crowned winner of the “first annual camping trip fluffy bunny championship”.  
After several more rounds were played (most won by Xemnas, though Pence was able to steal at least 2 wins of his own, and Isa surprisingly won one) and a few more stories told, they finally decided to call it a night. They had plans to hike to the lake tomorrow plus Isa still had to prep and deal with the full moon the next night. So they extinguished their fire and went off to their respective tents.  
Giggling could be heard all the way back to where Isa and Xemnas had set up their tent.  
“I doubt any of them will be sleeping anytime soon.” Xemnas said with a smile.  
“No, I don’t suppose they will.” Isa returned with his own smile. “But considering how much sugar we all just ingested...”  
They both laughed.  
“Besides that’s all part of the plan.” Isa said, smile shifting to something far more mischievous.  
“Plan?” Xemnas asked with some hesitation. He had always heard the stories of the great mischief of Lea and Isa’s daring plans...and he had of course bared witness to a few of the less fortunate ones. The thought of a plan here and now, while probably not nefarious, was also still probably, at least a little ill intended.  
“Yes.” Isa’s eyes glinted in the moonlight. “Would you like in?”  
Xemnas had to stop and consider for a moment. First and foremost he knew that Lea and Isa worked together, exclusively, on their little plans. Him being invited into one was indeed a monumental occasion. But he also knew that whatever this current “plan” was it probably involved tormenting a couple of teenagers, and Xemnas was pretty sure he had done more than his fair share of that, even if this was “just for fun”. Plus Axel was still making it very clear that he was only being tolerated for Isa’s sake, and it was probably in his own best interests to not try and insert himself into their games just yet.  
“I feel I have probably tormented enough teenagers in my life thus far.” Xemnas brought Isa in close, lifting his chin so their eyes met, and giving a smaller sad grin.  
“You were barely more than one yourself initially.” Isa replied, leaning in to nuzzle at his lover.  
“That is a reason, not an excuse.” Xemnas stated, returning the nuzzling.  
Isa smiled and kissed him gently.  
“That said, you do still have my curiosity as to what all this current “plan” of yours entails.”  
Isa’s mischievous smile returned.  
“Currently, down in the camp, the boys are planning something to scare the girls. Lea is even “facilitating” it.”  
“That doesn’t seem very fair. Or nice.”  
“That’s not the point. It’s a camping tradition, but one that will not be lost on them either.  
I’m fairly sure Roxas will be the only one hesitant, but once Lea gives the go ahead, he will go along, which plays in to the next phase...”  
“Oh?”  
“You see, phase one is the traditional “boys vs girls” camp scare. Phase 2 however, is the even more traditional “adults vs kids” phase. Only this time, the kids don’t realize, what they currently see as their greatest asset is actually their greatest downfall...”  
Xemnas was suddenly struck with less concern for tormenting teenagers, and far more for the mental state of his partner and his best friend. Though he supposed they were both shorted a few good years of stupid pranks, such as this. He was still concerned, but then again he had never been camping before, whose to say this wasn’t perfectly “normal”.  
Xemnas kissed Isa’s forehead and smiled “Have fun.”  
“Are you sure you don’t want to come?” Isa asked.  
Xemnas nodded. “I’ll stay here and get the bed warm for you.”  
They smiled at each other, and shared another quick kiss.  
“I’ll be back in a bit then.” Isa said before stepping in to the woods and heading back towards the main camp.  
In the moments that followed Xemnas heard a cacophony of shrieks followed by more giggles, followed by more shrieking and more giggling. Eventually the zipper of the tent was pulled open, and a still giggling Isa emerged.  
“Enjoy yourself?” Xemnas asked.  
His only reply was a sudden arm and lap full of a giggling Isa, and a soft kiss on the lips. He slowly lowered them both into a laying position and nuzzled into Isa’s hair.  
When Isa’s laughter finally subsided he quickly changed into his sleeping gear and crawled under the blankets, returning to his spot on Xemnas’s chest.  
“You should’ve seen the looks on their faces.”  
“I’m sure it will be the talk of the camp tomorrow.”  
“I’m sure it will be the talk of the camp for much longer than that.” Isa replied.  
Xemnas continued to smile at his lover, once again kissing the crown of his head as they settled in to their usual sleeping positions and soon drifted off in each other’s arms.  
The next morning came, far earlier than anyone wanted. But still Isa was up before anyone else starting coffee and breakfast, already feeling the effects of the extra energy radiating to him from the moon.  
Xemnas emerged from their tent a bit after Isa, slightly disgruntled by his lover’s early departure. But it was nothing a fresh cup of coffee and a few stolen kisses couldn’t smooth over.  
Until a mid pubescent voice started making gaging noises at them for being “too lovey dovey, too early in the morning”. Roxas quickly put and end it his friend’s complaining, when Isa started threatening to withhold breakfast and coffee.  
Once everyone had been fed and caffeinated they dressed and headed for the lake. After a full day and picnic lunch, and several attempts at drowning each other, they eventually headed back to camp for dinner and to prepare for the night to come.  
Isa had already set up his alter and all he needed to commune with the moon, and reminded everyone that he was not to be interrupted while out. The kids were shown another peak they could go to if they wanted to got star gaze and watch the moon. But they were given very specific instructions to stay away from Isa’s area.  
Even Axel and Xemnas knew well enough to stay away, unless they were specifically invited to witness Isa’s monthly communions with the moon, which was a rarity.  
So as the sun began to set, Isa pressed a kiss to Xemnas’s head and began his hike to a nearby cliff peak. Soon after the teens wished to go off to their own prime viewing spot. The 2 adults could’ve gone with them, but Xemnas opted to stay by the fire and await Isa’s return, and Axel figured it was his job to watch Xemnas.  
And that is how they found themselves here, sitting silently across from one another at the fire. Content enough to try and ignore the other. Until their restless energy began to catch up to them.  
Axel sighed often and would avoid looking at Xemnas, drumming his fingers and humming to himself.  
Xemnas, on the other hand, stared right at Axel, trying to will himself to say something. To apologize, to promise it was fine to leave him there alone, to try to start a real conversation, but the words always died on his tongue, knowing they were not enough, and mostly likely wouldn’t be for sometime. Still he knew he had to try.  
“For what it’s worth, I do apologize for you having to watch over me for the duration of this trip. Had I known it would be such an issue I would have insisted that I remain at the castle. I know Isa would have been a bit disappointed, but I feel like it would have made for a more pleasant time for everyone else...”  
“Not doin this for “everyone else”. I’m here cause Isa wanted you here. I may not understand it, and honestly I don’t really like it, but Isa cares about you. And I kinda figure I at least owe my oldest bestie a few favors still. And if that means babysitting a man who is what? 5/6 years older than me? Then so be it.”  
Xemnas had expected this, honestly he was surprised it hadn’t come sooner, but that didn’t soften the sting.  
He sat in quite contemplation for a bit, not entirely sure how to respond to that. He had expected the disdain, he knew he more than deserved it, but he had hoped that perhaps his outward affections for Isa would help convince others of his attempt at redemption.  
He scoffed aloud at himself. That  
sounded dumb, even to him.  
“Something you wanna share with the rest of the class there, boss man?” Axel asked, voice beginning to show the tiniest hint of animosity.  
“Not particularly. And that’s not a challenge to your authority. Merely my own self depreciation. And seeing as the one person who can manage to talk me out of a downward spiral won’t be coming back for a while, I’d rather not dwell on it for too long.” Xemnas answered.  
It was Axel’s turn to huff.  
He didn’t know what Xemnas’s deal was, but he didn’t want to deal with him through a depressive episode, and he certainly didn’t want to deal with Isa on a full moon if he came down while Xemnas was having a depressive episode. He mumbled under his breath, “I don’t know why Isa puts up with this...”  
Xemnas let out another deprecating laugh. “I know what you’re thinking, and I agree. I don’t deserve him.”  
Xemnas let out a sigh. “He is truly magnificent. Resilient. Loving. Caring. And a million other words and emotions that I can’t even begin to identify. After all I’ve done, I don’t even deserve to exist in his presence, let alone stand at his side as a lover. And yet that is what he wants of me.  
He wishes for me to stay with him, as equals, as partners. And who am I to deny him any wish he may have of me. He could ask me to end it all right here and now, and I can’t say I would much hesitate.  
He is currently my sole reason for existing in this life. And though I have yet come to fully understanding love, I know I love him more fully and deeply than anything, in any life or existence I have lived.  
And no, I do not currently believe I am anywhere near worthy of his affections, but he gives them to me, and selfishly I accept them, relish in them, adore them. It’s beyond the point where I think I could ever exist without them. And I can’t even fathom how I did before.  
So no, I do not deserve him, and I am under no delusion that I do, but I, like you, am here because he asked it of me. I exist because he desires it of me. And as long as he continues to wish it I will continue to do so, if only for his prolonged happiness.  
So I won’t ask you to like me, or accept me, I only ask you continue to tolerate me. Not for me, but for him. Because I understand how important you are to him as well. And while I may still be working out all of the intricacies of friendship, I know that it is just as, no, more important than a romantic love.  
I hope that one day we can be friends, but I am under no delusion, and fully aware and understanding of why, if we cannot, but I will continue to try, for the one I love.  
So...”  
“Dude, stop. Just stop.” Axel said. “I get it. I got it memorized... You love Isa.  
You worship the ground he walks on, and will bend over backwards to make him happy. I got it. And I’m being an ass by letting my personal grudges get in the way...”  
“I never said th...”  
“No, but I am. Old habits, and all that jazz...  
It’s nothin’ personal, except for the parts that are entirely personal, just... It’s just I’m not ready to forgive you just yet. For him, for me, for Roxas and Xion.”  
“I think that’s fair.”  
“It is. Trust me it is. But that doesn’t mean it will always be like this. One day we may get along. Hell one day I might even be happy for you two.  
But it’s not today. Tomorrow also isn’t looking too favorable for you either. But one day.  
I don’t want to hold on the all the anger, I’m sure it’s bad for my inner light or something like that, but yeah.”  
Xemnas smiled at that. He could understand that. The others had all “forgiven” him far too easily in his opinion. And while he was fairly sure it was not entirely given by anyone, he knew he was at least on the right path with most. It would be a long road to redemption, but at least he wasn’t alone on it.  
They spent the remaining time in relative peace, occasionally exchanging thoughts. Waiting for either the kids or Isa to return from their moon viewing.  
Isa ended up returning first.  
“Well, well, well, look who came back down the mountain first. You’re way earlier than I expected. It’s like barely even midnight.” Axel exclaimed.  
“Yes well, the moon peaked early this cycle.” Isa replied, walking to plant a light kiss on Xemnas’s lips.  
“Are the children still out then? I’m amazed to see you two sitting here in relative peace and quite.”  
“Yep, kiddos are still up on the hill you told them they could play on. And we had a little heart to heart talk while you were out so...”  
Isa looked back and forth between Xemnas, who simply nodded in agreement, and Axel.  
“Well, at least you aren’t attempting to kill one another, or eat your collective weight in marshmallows.”  
“Damn, we should’ve tried that last one. I don’t know if we have that many marshmallows left, but next trip, for sure...”  
“Gross.  
At any rate, I am tired. Xemnas, let’s head back to our tent...”  
Axel let out a snort.  
“Something you find amusing, Lea?” Isa asked.  
“Yeah. You. Especially if you think you’re fooling anyone here with that.  
You’re tired... sure... it’s barely after midnight on a full moon. You’re about as tired as the kids were last night, after we gave them four and a half bags of marshmallows.”  
“Okay, fine, have it your way then. Xemnas, please escort me back to our tent, where I would then like for you to ravish me, until I can no longer stand, and very well may have problems walking tomorrow. Until we fall asleep, utterly exhausted, and still nude, in each other’s arms. Where we will hopefully wake up, before everyone else in camp, and sneak in another round or two.  
Does that sound better?”  
Axel could only sit there, in an awkward stunned silence, while an equally stunned and silent Xemnas enthusiastically nodded.  
“Very well. We shall take our leave then.  
Good night.”  
And with that Isa and Xemnas headed back to their tent.  
The morning came far too early for anyone’s taste, but eventually everyone was venturing about the camp ground.  
“Good morning!” Xion greeted Isa and Xemnas as they made their way to the main camp ground.  
“Good morning, Xion.” Xemnas replied for both of them.  
“Did you sleep well? You had both left the camp before we even got back down.”  
“Reasonably well.” Xemnas answered while Isa poured coffee for both of them.  
“That’s good. I was worried the bear noises might have kept you awake. It sounded like it was near your tent!”  
Isa almost spit out his coffee and Xemnas choked on his.  
“Bear noises?” Isa asked  
“Yeah! At least Axel said it was probably bears, or wolves, or something like that.  
We wanted to go investigate, but he told us it was probably better to leave it alone and “let nature do it’s thing.”” Xion replied.  
Isa and Xemnas exchanged a brief glance, unsure how to go about this conversation. Luckily they were saved by one of the others calling Xion away.  
“Well I’m glad you were both okay! Be sure to keep an eye out for anymore wild animals.” She said before going to join her friends.  
“Yeah, be sure to look out for any more wild animals... ya animals.” Axel said wondering his way behind the guilty couple.

It was a few months after their camping that Isa first summoned his key blade, to the surprise of almost no one (save one very surprised Isa) but least of all Xemnas.  
“What do you mean you “assumed this would happen sooner or later?!” A very flustered Isa ranted.  
“It’s just a hypothesis I’ve had for a while now.” Xemnas replied nonchalantly. “I assume that everybody who’s heart was strong enough to withstand becoming a true Nobody is probably a bearer. The last few certainly were, and ever since Axel was able to summon one, I presumed that eventually the rest of you would, as well.  
Key blades are very similar to the weapons we learned to manifest as Nobodies. So yes, I was wondering who would manage to do it next out of our little contingent here, but I’m not at all surprised it was you.” Xemnas said, placing his hands on Isa’s shoulders and offering him a warm smile.  
And that is how he ended up on a “simple training mission” with Lea, clearing out a heartless nest on the beaches of a far flung world.  
Xemnas and Ienzo were walking down the hall where their offices were, discussing a patient that had just left, when Xemnas came to an abrupt stop.  
“I need to go.”  
“What? Where?” Ienzo asked, as Xemnas began to take off towards his office.  
“Isa and Axel, they’re in danger. Something must have gone wrong.”  
“How do you know that? How... how can you tell?” Ienzo questioned, running to catch up to Xemnas.  
“The recusant sigil.” He answered. “The one I put on Isa. Initially I put it there to keep track of him, especially after how close he and Axel got on their last attempt to overthrow me, but more than that it gives us a sort of emotional bond. I can feel, or at least get impressions of, what Isa is feeling. And right now something is very wrong.”  
By the time Ienzo caught up, Xemnas had already pulled his old Organization coat out of the closet and was slipping it on.  
“Are you sure? I mean I pretty sure you can’t just leave.” Ienzo worried.  
“I am positive, something is wrong, and their lives are in danger.”  
“But still, you can’t just go! You could get in a lot of trouble for...”  
“Tell them to prepare me cell then!  
I can feel him, Ienzo. Something is wrong. They can lock me up and throw away the key after I get Isa back and make sure he is safe. But I refuse to stand here and wait for delegations, while the one I care about the most suffers in the middle of nowhere.” Xemnas took a deep breath and summoned a corridor.  
“Prep two medical beds in one of the private labs, I have no idea how bad they are going to be, but I have a feeling they will need more than just potions once I bring them back.” And with that, he was gone.  
When Xemnas exited the corridor he could tell a barrier had been deployed, but it was already starting to crack, with almost enough heartless to block out the sun crawling all over it.  
Isa and Axel stood not too far from where he came out. Both breathing hard and cradling various injuries.  
Isa was holding a large gash in his side and leaning heavily on his right leg. Axel was cradling his left arm and holding his key blade at an awkward angle, which made Xemnas fairly sure his right shoulder was dislocated.  
“Oh good, Calvary’s finally arrived.” Axel called.  
“I’m not the Calvary, I’m the medical evac at best.” Xemas replied looking them over.  
Isa all but fell into him. “Lend me strength like you used to. I can still fight.”  
“What? No!” Xemnas answered. “We haven’t tested if I even can do that still, and you are hardly able to stand let alone except an outer surge of power. You don’t need to fight, you need to heal. You both do.”  
“I can still fight!” Was Isa’s response as he reached out and summoned his key blade, only to then collapse.  
Xemnas caught him before he could hit the ground.  
He could hear the barrier starting to shatter more, and assumed Isa had been the one to cast it in the first place.  
He began to remove his coat and carefully wrap in around Isa.  
“We’re leaving.” He said to Axel, with more authority than he had probably ever used, and he quickly picked up Isa and summoned a new corridor.  
“Can’t we cast a cure and try? With all three of us...”  
“Isa is unconscious, you can barely stand, and I no longer have dominion over the heartless. We are leaving.” And with that we grabbed Axel by what he hoped was the least injured arm and drug him towards the corridor.  
“I do apologize, this is going to be unstable and unpleasant without a shield. Move quickly.” Xemnas said pulling Axel as quickly as he could.  
It had been long known that their Organization coats had shielded them from the darkness of a corridor and Axel had never experienced traveling through one with out. It also didn’t help that this particular corridor seemed...off. Like running through a funhouse with an uneven and ever shifting floor.  
Axel didn’t have much time to dwell on it as he was soon deposited on the lab floor in the Radiant Garden castle. Where he promptly threw up.  
He was still conscious enough to watch Xemnas hand Isa off to Aleus before he too threw up, but at least he made it to a sink. After that Axel could hear Even giving orders and saw the flurry of everyone following them. The last thing he remembered before losing consciousness entirely was Ienzo kneeling beside him asking if he was ok.  
When Axel came to he was in a bed curtained off from the rest of the lab. He knew he wasn’t in the general hospital area, most likely in one of the private back labs. He could hear voices out side his curtains, but it took a moment before his head cleared enough to wrap around who they belonged to, or what they were saying.  
“You know no one here is against you!” He could hear Even’s shrill voice. “No one here wants to see you locked up. And more over no one here will want to deal with Isa if it should come to that. But we are not the ones who will get to make that choice, should someone deem you as “going rogue”...”  
“I am aware of the consequences of my actions.” Xemnas’s deep voice cut through. “And I’ll not apologize for them. I will apologize for the concern I’ve caused all of you, but not for saving him.”  
“And for the damages you’ve done to yourself?”  
“I knew the risks involved, I will recover.”  
Axel heard an exasperated sigh from Even.  
“Yes, you will, I’d be embarrassed if the newer replicas couldn’t stand up to that. Still... let me see your eyes.  
No trace amounts of darkness, that’s good.  
I’ve had to deliver enough bad news to enough grieving spouses. And I’ve died twice already. I’d rather not risk it again having to tell Isa you’ve gone and done something stupid. So please be more careful. You are still at a fragile point in you bond with this body. Not to mention this probably sets back you gaining more of your powers back for a while.”  
“It’s fine. Outside of protecting the one I care about...”  
“You weren’t brought back for his sake alone, you know.”  
“I am aware.”  
“You were brought back to help maintain the balance. And to help us here. The fact that it has helped Isa recover is...”  
“I know.”  
“The rest of us will still fight for you to remain here, and for your continued existence, but you have to be vigilant of your own weaknesses and downfalls...”  
“I know.” Came much softer from Xemnas that time.  
“Good, now drink this.”  
“What is it?”  
“Chamomile tea. Honestly do you think I would put your heart in my most advanced replica to date, give you a heartfelt speech about how much we all care for you, and then turn around and try to poison you with tea?”  
There was a long and awkward silence before Xemnas took a sip of the aforementioned tea.  
“There is a mild sedative, that I mixed in, but it’s nothing you can’t handle.”  
Even Axel had to roll his eyes at that.  
“You need your rest just as they do. Honestly, portaling that far twice. And unprotected! I think the only reason you made it back was the pure adrenaline you were running on.”  
Axel could hear Xemnas sigh, before watching his silhouette down the rest of the tea through the curtains.  
“Fine. But I intend to stay down here with Isa, until he wakes.”  
“You need sleep.”  
“And how many times have you, or his majesty, or Isa found me asleep at a table or desk? I’ve heard both of my progenitors were capable of sleeping virtually anywhere. At least I’ll have a hospital mattress to lay my head on.”  
“Fine. Fine!” Exasperation evident in Even’s voice. “You’ll just do what you want anyway. Just don’t complain to me when your neck and back are stiff and you walk like me in your old age!”  
Axel waited until he was pretty sure Even was gone. Not that he really needed to, he realized. He was no longer a child sneaking around in forbidden places. He had been a student here. He was a key blade wielder, he was a hero! He could could walk around here as he pleased.  
And with his new found bravado, he got got out of bed and flipped back the curtain with as much gusto as he could.  
Which was honestly not much considering he had a broken arm and a wrapped torso. Not to mention he was probably still a little high on pain killers...  
Which was probably where that sudden wave of machismo had come from he realized as he almost fell, tangled in the curtains.  
When he regained his balance he found he was yet again staring down the end of one of Xemnas’s ethereal blades. It was flickering heavily and soon dismissed entirely.  
“Ah, you’re awake.” Xemnas said, feeling more than a little guilty for pulling a weapon on Axel yet again.  
“Uhh, ye..yeah. I’m awake. Definitely awake now.”  
“Apologies. It’s been a rough few hours.”  
Xemnas flopped down in a chair near Isa’s hip, while Axel took a chair on the opposite side of the bed.  
“For you and me both. What’s the damages anyway?” Axel said waving his arm over himself and Isa.  
“Apologies again. I haven’t had a chance to go over your chart. Isa was pretty bad with several broken ribs, lacerations so deep a couple of internals were nicked. Ankle dislocated, severely bruised tibia, plus all the minor cuts and bruises. Even, Ansem, and I had our hands full.  
Though I do remember Ienzo mentioning something about a broken ulna. Your shoulder was definitely dislocated. I should apologize for our less than eloquent arrival, and for depositing you so roughly...”  
Axel waved a dismissive hand at him. Honestly it was starting to weird him out. He was fairly sure Xemnas had apologized more to him in the last ten minutes than in the last ten years. He wasn’t sure he’d ever really get used to this new Xemnas, heart and all, but he would at least tolerate him, for Isa’s sake. And he had just saved them and all.  
“So he’s in pretty bad shape then?” Axel asked, not failing to notice how Xemnas was slowly loosing steam, head starting to droop a bit.  
“Hmmmm? Oh, he will be sore for a while, but with all we did today, plus a few days of rest and extra healing? He should be up and about in a few days.  
I’d prefer he put off training for a few weeks at least, as both his doctor and his lover.”  
“Well seeing as I’m probably gonna be laid up myself for a bit, I don’t think that will be too much of a problem.  
Speaking of which, I should probably let Roxas and Xion know what’s up.”  
“They’ve been notified. I’m not sure who, but someone did reach out to them earlier, though I’m sure a curtesy call and update from you would probably be much appreciated on their end.”  
Axel nodded and got up to retrieve his phone from the bed area he had woken up at.  
“Axel,” Xemnas called or before yawning, “I understand I am in no position for it but I do have a favor to ask.”  
Axel turned back to face the man and nodded that he was listening.  
“Stay with him, at least for a bit. I am going to be unwakeable soon, I fear, and I don’t want him waking up alone, should he need anything. So if you could...”  
“Yeah. Of course. I wasn’t planning on going anywhere anytime soon. I doubt Dr. E, or really any of you doctors down here would let me, anyways.  
Don’t worry, I’ll stay.”  
And with that Xemnas simply nodded, before fully resting his head on the edge of the bed and ultimately drifting off.  
Axel grabbed his phone from the bed side table and quickly called out to Roxas and Xion. He paced a bit while he spoke with them. Keeping a distance from the sleeping couple, but not so far he wouldn’t notice if Isa did reawaken.  
After several reassurances that he was ok, and Isa was at least stable, and many promises of ice cream and pizza later, he sat down and hung up the phone. Both had wanted to come check on him but he insisted he was fine. They both had their own jobs to do, and homework, from school and Aqua.  
Speaking of which...  
He opted to start with a text there. Hopefully she would take pity upon the injured and not ask too many details right away. Not that he thought she would do anything drastic, but Xemnas wasn’t supposed to travel unsupervised.  
But he did ultimately save them. Even if it meant they hadn’t succeeded in their job.  
He took a deep breath and typed out a quick message.  
“Laid up in Radiant Garden for a bit, the job was a bust. Need to go in with a full team, the place was crawling with heartless. Barely made it out, but we’re safe and healing for now. May not be able to train for a bit. Isa either.”  
In only a matter of seconds he received a reply, though to Axel, those seconds felt like hours.  
“Are you telling the truth or trying to skimp on giving me a proper report, and training...”  
Axel shook his head and let out a snort. “Lol. If it was just me maybe, but have you met Isa? He’s kinda a stickler for all of those things. If it weren’t for his “medical team” here I’m sure he’d be back to trying again as soon as he wakes up, but I doubt anyone here is gonna even let him leave his bed for at least a few weeks.”  
“Is he that bad?”  
“A few broken ribs, some cuts, a lot of bruises. Not the worst he’s ever been through.”  
“And you?”  
“I’m fine, hardly a scratch.”  
“Fine enough to give a detailed report of what happened?”  
“Well I mean... I guess I did break my good arm and dislocate my other shoulder. Maybe a concussion...”  
“Uh huh...  
I suppose I could cut you some slack for now. Let you recover and all. But the fact that you say we may need a full team is concerning. Let me know when you and Isa are up for a detailed report, so we can come up with a plan. Stay safe and rest up!”  
Axel breathed a sigh of relief. At least that could be ticked of his list for now.  
It was another hour or so before Isa finally came to. Axel had been playing games on his phone when he heard his friend start to stir. Finally teal eyes slowly blinked open.  
“Good morning princess. I was starting to get worried you were vying for the roll of sleeping beauty. I mean I guess someone has to do it since that girl is awake and living her dreams and all...”  
“Do you ever stop talking?” Isa managed to rasp out.  
“You sound like you swallowed that whole beach worth of sand before we left.” Axel laughed, before looking for a cup and some water.  
He quickly found some paper cups and poured Isa some water. Which Isa gratefully downed is one go before handing the cup back in a silent plea for more. Axel rolled his eyes and feigned inconvenience.  
“I’m injured too, ya know?”  
“Yes, and yet you seem capable of walking, whereas I am not currently.”  
“Well you don’t seem to have any problem running your mouth.” Axel retorted, once again handing off the cup of water.  
“Nor do you.” Isa said flatly. “What is wrong with us anyway?”  
Axel could only shrug in response.  
“Hand me our charts.” Isa said, pointing to the clipboard hanging from the end of his bed.  
Axel gather both and handed them over.  
Isa was clearly not fully awake and still having a hard time focusing. It didn’t help that all of the doctors in the castle definitely hand the handwriting for the position. He was quite for some while as he tried to discern what was written on his chart before he hummed, and sighed.  
“Well that would probably be why I am having a hard time focusing...”  
Axel let out a questioning hum.  
“Mild concussion likely.” Isa said and indicated to some of the worst chicken scratch Axel had ever seen.  
The word Isa pointed at might have said concussion, but it also could’ve said contusion, convulsions, coconuts or any other number of things that started with the letter c, as that was the only thing Axel was even slightly able to make out. But then again, if anyone could read it, it would be Isa. Axel watched as he put that chart down and looked over Axel’s.  
“Hmmmmm. Broken ulna, dislocated shoulder, severe bruising to the upper thigh, hyperextended ankle, also possible concussion.  
I wouldn’t say it’s the worst we’ve ever been through. But still. What happened in the end, anyway?”  
“How far do you remember? Let’s start from there then I can fill the the blanks.”  
“I remember the last wave of heartless. And setting up the barrier.  
I remember Xemnas, he came through a corridor. I asked him for power, but he said no... after that... I don’t know?”  
“After that, ya kinda passed out.  
Xem said you couldn’t handle a power surge and I can only imagine you were trying to prove him wrong, but you just wound up fainting.  
So he wrapped you up in his coat and grabbed me by the arm and drug us though a corridor back here. I threw up, he threw up, it was a terrible time. That’s more or less it until I woke up a bit ago and....”  
“He what?!”  
“What part did I lose you at? Him showing up, not lending you power, dragging us...”  
“He portaled that far, unsupervised, and then drug us back without any protection?”  
“Yes?  
But in Xem’s defense you were kinda passed out and apparently just barely holding your guts in, so I can understand how he could’ve been a little more preoccupied with saving you over protecting himself.”  
“That idiot! He knows the dangers,not to mention the trouble he could get into, and if the replica were to fail... where is he so I can...”  
Axel pointed to the opposite side of the bad from where he sat. Only then did Isa notice how much heavier that side was. He looked down to see Xemnas, hands tucked underneath his head as he slept at the edge of Isa’s hospital bed.  
Isa was taken aback for a moment, worried he might disturb the sleeping man, before he remembered he was still upset with him for his aforementioned reckless behavior, only to resign himself to a sigh, turning his glare to his best friend.  
“I don’t think you’ll wake him... I kinda woke up while he and Dr. E were having a little talk. Even pretty much got on him for everything you just said, and then some. In the end he told Xemnas that he needed to rest just as much as we did, and slipped him some “mild sedatives” in tea.  
He asked me to sit with you cause he doubted he “would be wakeable” in case you needed anything when you woke up.”  
Isa let out a huff. He rolled his eyes and then began to run his fingers through long strands of silver hair.  
“I was able to check in with Aqua, without giving her all the details. I figured I’d talk to you first, maybe a few others, make sure our stories all line up. Though I kinda doubt she’d be all that upset, he did save us and all. But if you think we need to cover...”  
“What?”  
“You know, since he’s like not supposed to travel alone and all? Try to keep him out of trouble. He only did it to save us, well you mostly. If you hadn’t been with me I’d probably be heartless food, and you’d all have to like kill and de-nobody me again. And at this point I’m not sure how many shots at that we get.”  
“Well if history stands, you’ve got at least one more, I think...  
As far as Aqua, and the rest of the key blade masters are concerned, I’m not too terribly worried. It’s as you said, he only left to rescue us. I’m sure they will be understanding.  
What I’m more concerned about is the damage he may have done to himself. We haven’t been pushing him or testing his connection to the darkness recently, too concerned with the restoration and the ends and outs of daily life, I suppose.  
He’s stronger than even he realizes but there is still the very real possibility of him pushing too much too soon and fading away.”  
Xemnas mumbled in his sleep and unconsciously leaned closer to where Isa’s hand continued to card through his hair.  
Isa sighed. “Idiot.”  
“What can I say Is, you gotta type.”  
“Idiots? Men who are somehow extraordinarily intelligent, and yet dumber that a sack of rocks. Not to mention incapable of shutting up.” Isa responded with a pointed stare.  
“Hey! I may have been bad as a teenager, way back in the day, but...”  
Isa raised an eyebrow.  
“Yeah, alright, still can’t shut up. But you gotta admit, you loved it at the time.”  
“I believe I did. Besides we all know your taste haven’t changed, you still like you partners moody, broody, and slightly argumentative.”  
“Hey, look at you admitting to what a moody little shit you were.  
Still kinda are, but hey look at you growing up...”  
Isa snorted. “Well one of us had too, don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll make it here eventually.”  
They both laughed, as the banter easily came between them. Eventually they fell into a compatible quite, Axel browsing through his phone while Isa continued to stroke Xemnas’s hair.  
After a while Axel sat and watched as Isa gently combed his fingers through his lover’s hair. It was strange to see all the displays of affection between the two of them now.  
It hadn’t exactly been a secret that they were sleeping together, the whole Organization had been aware of that fact, but no one had actually ever witnessed anything between them. There had, of course, always been the implication of something, mostly of Saïx’s part. An underlying threat to using his personal relationship against any individual who irked him, but nothing solid ever came from it. For a while Axel believed that it must have been a purely physical thing, but now, he was starting to believe that maybe Isa wasn’t so delusional when he said it had been more then that.  
“Yes?” Isa asked, noticing the stares he was getting from his friend.  
“Nothin, just, kinda strange. Seeing you two be all PDA and everything now. Like I know you’ve said we only saw part of what went on before, but I don’t know. You’ve never been really touchy feely, and I don’t really peg Xem for being that way either, but here you both are.”  
“Yes, here we are. I suppose it is strange for everyone else to see it, but honestly this is close to how it was before, just behind closed doors.”  
Isa sighed.  
“Honestly, he’s always been far more affectionate then anyone has ever seen. But before he couldn’t risk anything undermining the illusion of his absolute power. Plus, it’s as I’ve said before, Xehanort would try to control what emotions his true vessels had access to in their newly growing hearts. So, of course Xemnas would chase the physical highs of our intimacy, but beyond that, he was still quite touch starved. And I found that after the break up, and falling out between you and I, I was too.  
I’ve also recently become aware through our therapy sessions that the old man had been treating them all as children, and regularly threatening to “take away their favorite toys” to help keep them in line as well. So at times Xemnas tried to show as little interest as possible, to protect me, while keeping me close.  
I know, it’s also convoluted and fucked up. I’m just happy it doesn’t have to be that way now. I’m happy, we can talk and hold hands and kiss in public with out having to constantly look over our shoulders. I’m happy I can feel, and I know I can feel. I’m happy Xemnas finally had that chance too.  
I’m sorry, I know that was a bit of a tangent to go off on for such a simple observation...”  
“You go to couples therapy?”  
“Really Lea? Really? After all of that heartfelt.... Yes we go to couples therapy! It is perfectly normal and moreover healthy to do so.  
Hell once a month we hold a group therapy session for everyone here, just to air out and talk through our grievances.  
It’s helped everyone here immensely, it would probably be worthwhile for you all to join as well sometime.  
We all do individual therapy, group, and yes couples therapy. I don’t know that we would have made quite the progress we have, or be as happy as we are without it.  
Just because I choose to remember the good times over the bad, doesn’t mean they didn’t exist, so yes there have been things we have had to discuss and work out.  
In case you have forgotten, we did try to kill him several times, and yes he did get me killed several times. These are some of the things we discuss, and forgive, and overcome.  
My greatest wish for you now is that one day you have that opportunity with someone you care about enough to take it.”  
“Whoa, whoa, easy there. I was just asking. Not judging, it’s just not something you had mentioned before. Let’s not go cursing any possible future relationships for me.  
I’m glad, happy even, that you are happy. And I guess Xemnas is kinda growing on me too, if only because he makes you happy, as sappy as that may sound.  
I donno it’s just weird seeing you and him and really everyone here acting all mature and grown up.”  
“Lea, we’re in our mid 20’s, Ienzo is legal to drink. Roxas and Xion aren’t that far behind him.  
I don’t know how to tell you this but as your oldest best friend, I feel I must.  
We are, in fact, adults.  
Now I know that may come as a shock, and for you that may be only in the strictest of legal terms...”  
“Hey!”  
“But that doesn’t make it any less true.”  
“Dick.”  
“You started it.” Isa shrugged  
“I know, and I know we’re adults now too. I mean really you’ve been an adult since you were like 12.  
Hey, that’s probably why the old man chose you as a vessel, you already acted like and old man..” Axel laughed.  
He never saw Isa move until it was too late and he was suddenly attacked by Isa’s pillow.  
“Ow, ow, ow! Attacking a crippled man, that’s low even for you Isa!”  
“You’re lucky I can’t get out of this bed. I’d smother you for that! Tell Roxas and Xion you had an unfortunate complication arise, and you died in your sleep...”  
“I will call for a nurse!”  
“They’ll only send Myde! I’ll smother him too if need be!”  
“I’ll call Ienzo. I’ll tell him to send Dylan and Aleus. That you’ve clearly lost your mind and need to be sedated.”  
“You’ll do nothing of the sort. You won’t make it that far!” Isa huffed as he continued his assault.  
It wasn’t until Isa had over exerted himself and was starting to cough that he let up on his attack, both of them still laughing like idiots. It wasn’t until Isa had safely tucked away his pillow that Axel allowed himself to relax back into his chair.  
“You know you probably just added a week on to both of our recovery times right?” Axel managed to say between breaths.  
“You still deserved it.” Isa huffed as he settled back into his bed.  
“Wow, he really is unwakeable. Just what did Even give him?” Axel tilted his head towards Xemnas, who hadn’t moved at all.  
“I’m not entirely sure, but he will probably be coming back to use it on us soon, after all the racket we just made.”  
Isa took a deep, steadying breath, holding his side, clearly in more pain than he cared for.  
“You should lay back and rest, I’ll stay here, but you really took the brunt of it all. You need to rest, and heal.  
I’m sure if your personal physician were able to, he’d agree.”  
“Yes, well, I’m sure my personal physician probably isn’t going to let me out of bed for quite sometime after this.”  
“Can’t say I blame him, we really did a number to ourselves this time.”  
Isa had already started to drift back off. He began to stroke Xemnas’s hair again.  
“At this point we may not even need those sedatives of Even’s.” Axel yawned.  
It wasn’t much longer before he too drifted off in his chair next to Isa, which was how Ienzo found them all just a bit later, quiet and peacefully sleeping away.

It was a few months, several training missions, and one very long talk with Aqua later when Axel approached Xemnas, in what appeared to be the worst imitation of a comic book super villain sneaking around. Or he was imitating a dusk maybe? Xemnas wasn’t entirely sure, but he was sure he was about to be drug in to something, probably something unpleasant. Axel had that look in his eye, the one he had when he was coming to “recruit” Isa into a prank or scheme. Only this time it was directed at Xemnas.  
“Is your other half around?” Axel asked looking far more suspicious then this, or really any situation Xemnas could conceive of at the moment, called for.  
“My other ha... if you mean Isa, no he is not.”  
“Of course I mean Isa, unless you’ve started dating some other green eyed, blue hair guy with anger issues...  
Will he be back soon?” Axel asked darting his eyes around like a bad spy movie.  
Xemnas sighed and rolled his eyes. “No, he is at his “puppy playtime” therapy.”  
“His what?” Axel straighten, apparently snapping out of “spy mode”.  
“Puppy playtime therapy? Has he not mentioned it before? It’s probably his favorite.  
Since the fall the local shelters have been pretty full and in desperate need of volunteers. So a few times a week Isa goes down to play with the dogs and help keep them entertained.  
It makes him happy, and it keeps the dogs exercised. Sadly right now with all the restoration, and training, and everything else we really can’t get a dog for here. But at least this way he’s not completely without.”  
“Huh, no he hasn’t mentioned that, but it definitely sounds like a very Isa thing to do.” Axel said, before suddenly shifting back in to spy mode.  
“Will he be out for a while?”  
Xemnas stopped to think for a second, and quickly checked the time. “Probably another hour or so.  
If you wanting to drag him off on one of your “missions” you can meet him down there, it’s not too far from the castle...”  
“Shhhhhhhh.” Axel hushed bringing a finger up in front of Xemnas. “No, this is good. I don’t want him for this particular mission. I need you.”  
Xemnas couldn’t help the incredulous look that came to his face. He looked back and forth between Axel’s finger in his face, and Axel’s face, before sighing in defeat.  
“How can I be of service?” He knew he should feel honored, having Isa’s oldest and best friends inviting him into a scheme, but some how, he just knew he would regret it later.  
Axel face split in to a grin big enough to rival the Cheshire cat’s. He wrapped his arm around Xemnas’s shoulders and began leading him down the hall.  
“Your job in this plot is by far the simplest, but also the most important.”  
Xemnas raised and eyebrow.  
“I need to you distract Isa and keep him out of the castle for as long as you can. Or at least until I give you the all clear.”  
“What?!” Xemnas stopped dead in his tracks, he knew then whatever this was is was gonna be bad, especially for him.  
“Axel, whatever you are planning is not worth me lying to Isa for you, and I will not be caught in one of your infamous prank wars between each other...”  
“What?!” It was Axel’s turn to baulk.  
“No, no, no! It’s not like that. Not at all! No one’s pranking anyone, and no one’s gonna lie to Isa. Your just not going to mention what we’re doing here.”  
Xemnas once again came to a halt, “And what exactly is it you are doing here?”  
“This!” Axel exclaimed with a flourish as they walked into the kitchen of the castle.  
Roxas and Xion were already there, spreading an assortment of ingredients. Xemnas suspiciously eyes the blue food coloring Roxas pulled from a bag and placed on the counter.  
“This?” Xemnas asked, waving his hand over the kitchen.  
“Yes, I was finally able to get the original recipe from Mr. McDuck. But he only knew it for industrial size batches of the top of his head. So we had to start there, and our kitchen in Twilight Town is way to small to handle an industrial batch. So we wanted to borrow this one. But you know how particular Isa is with the kitchen and....”  
“An industrial batch of what, Axel?”  
“Oh, sea salt ice cream! But not like the ones they sell now with all that high fructose corn syrup and stuff that Isa’s always complaining about. We’re gonna make it the way it used to be. When me and Isa were growing up, ya know the healthy all natural kind.” Axel beamed as he patted a large sack of sugar.  
Xemnas couldn’t imagine Isa or anyone admitting to anything that required a 40lbs bag of sugar as healthy.  
“It’s almost Friendship Day, and we all kinda figured what better way than to share the classic version of our favorite snack with everyone.  
Just imagine how happy they will all be, the classic flavor, all of us together, it will be magical. And you can help. You just need to keep Isa away long enough for us to get the ice cream made, in it’s mold, and clean up our mess. He’ll be none the wiser until it’s all ready, and then there’s no way he can get upset.”  
Xemnas raised and eyebrow to that statement.  
“Isa enjoys cooking, why not just ask him to help?” Xemnas suggested, hoping to exonerate himself from the situation.  
“Xem, Xemnas, we all know Isa likes cooking, alone, in complete control. He can’t really deal with chaos in the kitchen. You remember what it was like in the kitchen the never was, right?  
It was so...organized.  
I’m pretty sure he killed more dusks for putting things away wrong then in any exercise, training, or mission.”  
Axel was not incorrect there, Isa was very particular with how he kept the kitchen. Which was why Xemnas knew it was a bad idea to allow others to use it with out Isa’s permission or guidance. But before he could speak against it again the secret weapon had been unleashed.  
Suddenly Roxas and Xion stood before him, hands behind their backs, eyes glittering with hope and joy. Xemnas had to take a step back, he knew this would be another end to him.  
“We promise we won’t make a mess.” Roxas said almost shyly.  
“Don’t worry, I’ve been paying extra attention to where everything needs to go when we are done. That way nothing gets misplaced or messed up...” Xion followed up sweetly.  
He knew it was a trap, a well crafted, guilt inducing, wicked, evil trap.  
Damn his new found conscious and heart.  
“See, we’ll be fine. I’ll even “sweeten” the deal for you.” Axel guided Xemnas away from the kitchen. “I know Isa keeps the sugary stuff away from you, so I’m willing to throw in a half dozen ice creams, all to yourself, to hideaway on top of the half dozen I was gonna leave for Isa and the 3 dozen we were gonna leave for the castle. Seem fair?”  
Considering they had supplies for at least a gross, not really, and Xemnas couldn’t imagine what the three of them could do with the other 8 dozen ice creams. But he knew he had already lost the long term battle, might as well make it worth it.  
“I want a whole dozen. To myself, no snitching to Isa.  
I also want total and complete amnesty, if you get caught it is completely on you. I know nothing, I’ve done nothing.”  
Somehow the grin on Axel’s face got even bigger, almost unnervingly so.  
“Absolutely! You are just the good boyfriend, meeting his boyfriend after therapy to take him out for an enjoyable day on the town!  
We never saw you, you never saw us. Didn’t even know we were here...”  
“Right. And I assume you have some plan as to just what I should be taking him out to do to keep him out of the castle?”  
“Glad you asked.” Axel said, pulling a pamphlet from his pocket. “Apparently the museum in town has finally reopened and is currently hosting an exhibition about some meteors, and other space related stuff, and you know how much Isa loves space related stuff...”  
Xemnas eyed Axel suspiciously, the fact that Axel knew about an exhibit in their town on their world, before any of them meant he had been scheming this for far longer than he was letting on.  
Still, it was the perfect date for Isa, and it had been a while since their last real date.  
“So, you go get yourself date ready, meet Isa at doggy daycare, go for lunch, then hit up the museum. You guys will have fun and we’ll be done and long gone before before you even get through the whole museum.  
Win win for everyone, and ice cream! Win win win!  
So, we gotta deal?”  
Xemnas could only sigh and hang his head as he held out his hand. He knew things seldom went that easy, especially for him, but it did seem straight forward enough. And if it did go wrong, well, Axel just said, he was just trying to be a good boyfriend and treat his love to a nice day out.  
“Good man, good.” Axel said as he shook Xemnas’s hand. “Nice to know all that bragging Isa does about you is true. Now go get yourself ready for your hot date!”  
Xemnas wasn’t sure what bragging Isa had been doing about him, but he did Axel suggested and went to get ready.  
A few minutes later he returned downstairs neatly dressed and groomed, ready for what he hoped would be an enjoyable day out.  
He heard Axel call out as he was leaving.  
“Looking nice man! Have fun, and don’t worry, I’ll let you know if anything comes up.”  
And with that Xemnas was off.  
It wasn’t long before he found himself standing outside of the little kennel in town. He found a bench and sat just opposite the entrance so he would be sure to see Isa when he came out.  
He didn’t have to wait long. He heard Isa bidding the workers farewell, and the saw his lover waving at the door.  
He quickly stood and waved Isa over with a smile.  
Isa had an initial look of surprise when he first noticed Xemnas waiting for him outside of the kennel, but it soon turned to a pleased smile as he walked over and greeted the other with a kiss.  
“What are you doing out here?” He asked, nuzzling into Xemnas’s shoulder.  
“Waiting on the most beautiful man in the world to be finished with his therapeutic playtime.”  
“Oh? Will he be out soon? If he’s the most beautiful man in the world I would very much like to see...”  
Xemnas silenced him with another kiss.  
Isa huffed and then laughed into it.  
“You flatterer.”  
Xemnas hummed in response, as he leaned in to nuzzle at Isa’s hair.  
“I thought we could maybe go out, do lunch? Spend the day out and about? Apparently there is a new space exhibit at the museum.”  
He watched Isa’s eyes light up at the suggestion.  
“The museum’s reopened? I haven’t been there since long before the fall. Probably since long before Lea and I tried to become apprentices even.”  
He smiled and nodded at the idea, grabbing Xemnas’s hand and lacing their fingers, before walking in the direction of the museum.  
The found a little cafe not to far from their destination to have lunch at, before continuing their journey.  
The exhibit was fascinating, even for them, who knew the truth about other worlds and interstellar travel.  
There were meteor samples and pictures of nebulas, several dioramas of the night sky. All of which held Isa’s awe, which in turn held Xemnas’s.  
They were about three quarters of the way through the exhibit when Xemnas felt his phone go off. He saw the text was from Axel so he took a few steps back before he opened it.  
“How’s it goin’?”  
“It’s going fairly well. You have my thanks for recommending it.” Xemnas answered.  
He looked up to make sure Isa hadn’t moved into another room yet.  
“Yeah, no problem, glad you’re havin fun.”  
Xemnas smiled, they were having fun. It was nice to just exist like this. He held his phone out a bit longer, hoping Axel would say they were done so he could put away his phone and enjoy the rest of his date. Sadly that is not the news he received.  
“So we’re gonna need you to keep him busy for a little longer.”  
Xemnas frowned.  
“Why?”  
“I dunno what happened. But the first batch won’t set. Too much sea salt or somethin. But it’s cool almost done prepping the 2nd batch. Don’t worry, but do take your time at the museum. Maybe go look at the dinosaurs or somethin? I’ll text again when we’re all good.”  
Xemnas rolled his eyes and put away his phone, wondering back over to Isa, hoping his absence hadn’t been noticed.  
They finished with the exhibit on Space, and stood in the main lobby of the museum.  
“Should we head back or...” Isa started.  
“Let’s look around some more. You said you haven’t been here since you were a child. I haven’t ever been here. Let’s wander around a bit.  
It’s not like we have any pressing matters at the moment. We should enjoy ourselves.” Xemnas said, gripping Isa’s hand and already heading towards a new wing of the museum.  
“Very well.” Said Isa. “But if we’re going to wander around the main museum we should start over here.”  
He gently pulled Xemnas towards a different wing.  
“The museum used to be set up chronologically. It doesn’t look like they’ve changed that much, so we want to start here and work our way across.”  
Xemnas nodded his understanding and allowed himself to be guided in the direction Isa had indicated.  
The wing began with exhibits and discussions on chemistry, and the chemical makeup of all living things. Explaining atoms and molecules, and moving up into single cell organisms.  
“I think this is where I really fell in love with science.” Isa admitted quietly.  
Xemnas hummed in response. “And here I thought you had only joined to help your friend.  
Though I’m not complaining, you were and still are my preferred lab assistant. Even if I believe you are more than capable of running your own lab.”  
Isa felt the heat rush into he cheeks for a brief second before turning away to the next exhibit.  
They soon worked their way through the cells and microorganisms onto prehistoric life. A large diorama sat in the middle of the main floor for the area, largely empty, save 2 small dinosaur skeletons and one large one in the middle.  
Isa wandered around the display, seemingly lost in his own thoughts and feelings of nostalgia. Xemnas tried to look around at the exhibit, but found his gaze always drawn back to Isa.  
Eventually Isa circled the entire diorama and found himself almost chest to chest with Xemnas.  
“It’s a little sad, this exhibit. Especially after how relatively full and nice the previous one were.” Xemnas said as he took Isa’s hands in his own.  
Isa smiled and look up towards the main dinosaur in the center of the room.  
“Yes. Perhaps it’s nostalgia, or the fact that it’s been over a decade since I was last here, but it does seem a lot emptier then I remember it being.”  
“It is.” A voice said from the shrubbery of a nearby diorama.  
Both men startled at the voice. They watched as an older, thin, blonde woman, whom easily could have pasted as Even’s sister, rose from where she had been resetting her fake ferns and plant life in the exhibit.  
“Most of them were destroyed during the fall. Or rather, most of them were knocked down during the fall. We still have most if not all the pieces, the museum just currently lacks the time, space, and work force needed to repair them.  
You see the problem with most of our dinosaur specimens is that they are quite large and heavy, but still unbelievably fragile.  
Besides that, with all the new research being done we’re learning that many of them were mounted in a way that is completely inaccurate to how they would have lived.”  
Both men could only stand there and stare. Unsure of what to do with this interesting, yet unsolicited information.  
After an awkward moment of silence between the three the woman approached the men with her hand out to shake. “I’m Dr. Bianca. Current head of paleontological exhibits here in the museum.”  
Xemnas was the first to come out of his stupor.  
“Xemnas, and this is my partner Isa.” He replied as he shook the offered hand.  
“Ah, well nice to meet you both. I quite sorry we don’t currently live up to you memory.  
We are still, as I said, very low on staff and room at the moment, and because of that we are also low on time. So in storage they sit, until we have more of all three.”  
It was somewhere between witnessing his lover’s disappointment, and hearing the museum’s plight that Xemnas began to form an idea. It probably wasn’t his best idea, but it was certainly far from his worst. And it certainly wouldn’t hurt to offer...  
“Have you considered asking the scientists in the castle for help?” He asked.  
“Oh, the scientists up there are all acting as doctors and engineers for the restoration. I doubt they have time to help us with our little issues.”  
“I can assure you we do.” He said producing a card with his credentials.  
“Moreover, we have plenty of space. Several labs are empty at the moment, and would be perfect, clean, and stable environments for us to store and restore your dinosaurs.”  
Both Bianca and Isa stared, momentarily stunned by what Xemnas had just offered.  
“Are you sure about this?” Isa asked.  
“Of course, what’s not to be sure about? We have the space and the resources. And with everything settling down here we’re having more and more downtime.  
Besides, you’re always saying how we should find a new hobby together.”  
“Yes but I meant like puzzles or painting or maybe a pottery class. This...”  
“Just think of it as a very large, three dimensional puzzle. I’m sure it will come with some sort of instructions or guidelines, yes?” He asked looking over to Dr. Bianca. Who could only nod in her still shocked state.  
“See, we could easily assist here, when we’re not assisting with more pressing matters.  
Which is not as often, as of late.  
So please, have your dinosaurs sent up to the castle and we will do our best to assist you in getting them back into one piece.”  
Xemnas nodded at Dr. Bianca.  
“I shall do my best.” She managed to stammer out.  
And with that Xemnas took Isa’s arm and lead him on to the next room.  
“I can’t believe you just got dinosaurs for us to put together.” Isa said as the walked to the next exhibit.  
“You seemed sad by the lack of them, and we do have the time and space...”  
“I suppose you’re right. Still... We’re going to struggle to keep Myde and Lea out of whatever lab they end up in.”  
“You’re probably right, but I imagine it will be worth the struggle.”  
They kept on this way for sometime, playful banter as they casually strolled through the history of Radiant Garden. Until Isa came to a sudden stop outside the hall labeled “Recent history”.  
“What’s wrong?” Xemnas asked, surprised by Isa’s hesitance.  
“Do... do we really want to go in there?” Isa responded quietly. “We will probably be heavily featured, and, understandably, not in the best of lights.”  
Xemnas considered for a moment, “I am in good spirits today. We’ve had fun and I’ve found a new way to help here, and a new bonding activity for us. I feel today I would be strong enough to handle whatever criticisms and unflattering truths this exhibit may hold.  
However, we are having a good time, and I would hate to dampen the mood if you should feel unable to face those things today.”  
It was Isa’s turn to consider a bit. They were having a good time, and overall it was a good day. A surprise lunch and museum date, an interesting new couples hobby (which he really couldn’t be upset about because he was getting to play with actual dinosaur bones) all in all this day was truly wonderful.  
But he knew what they had done, and he knew, that while amends were still being made, they were not entirely forgiven, and their deeds certainly not forgotten.  
Still, if Xemnas were prepared to face their sins, he should at least try to as well. If it became overwhelming for either of them they could simply leave.  
So with a deep breath and a squeeze to Xemnas’s hand, he nodded and lead the way into the exhibit.  
The exhibit itself was small. A long darkened hallway full of info graphics explaining how Ansem the Wise came into power and how the kingdom had in only recent history made the shift to more scientific studies.  
It spoke of the scientists and their deviation from the practical. It was brutal and honest about how they had gone too far, strayed to far from the general moral compass. It spoke of some of the experiments and why they were done. It spoke of the darkness and the fall. It was incredibly factual and on point, and yet...  
And yet not accusatory at all. Yes it did say that the scientists and their apprentices were the source of the downfall, but it was never cruel or unfair to them.  
If anything Isa felt like it was far to kind, and yet it left out nothing. The experiments, the heartless, the darkness, the nobodies, all mentioned and all their sinister roles exposed. And it still felt like they weren’t being necessarily blamed for any of it.  
In fact at the end of the hall Isa was stunned to find that they were all thanked for their efforts to atone and help rebuild.  
He was shocked to read through the thanks they were given and cringed when he saw Xemnas smiling and chuckling at a picture towards the end of the exhibit.  
“I think out of everything here, all the words said and stories told, this maybe the most upsetting and terrifying thing in here.”  
Isa made a face and began to walk towards Xemnas.  
“No, no. Stay away. You will be especially offended.” Xemnas said with a smile.  
Isa just rolled his eyes and walked to his lover. And found that Xemnas was probably correct in his statement.  
The picture wasn’t much and it wasn’t very large in size, but it was probably one of the very few with all of them. Though he and Lea weren’t apprentices for very long before the fall, they had been there long enough for at least one group photo.  
“How did they get this? Who let them have it and why does it still exist?” Was Isa’s immediate response, even as he found himself beginning to chuckle at the photograph.  
“If Lea ever finds out about this he would burn this place to the ground.” He laughed.  
“I believe Ienzo may help him.” Xemnas added.  
Looking again, he probably wasn’t wrong all three of them were far to small for their uniform. Isa was the only one that even kind of fit into the extra small. Ienzo was practically drowning in his and Lea’s lab coat was dragging the ground.  
“I forgot there was a time when you were taller then him.”  
“15 years I was taller. When we turned 16 we were the same, then, well... at least I’m still stronger.”  
Xemnas couldn’t help but laugh at that.  
“Besides I’m not the only one who’s shorter in that picture...”  
“True, I suppose it was during that and the following year that we hit our last bit of growth. It was rather unpleasant. I feel bad for Terra having to go through it all again.”  
They both smiled gently at each other and the picture.  
“We should see if we can’t get them a better, and perhaps more recent photo.” Xemnas said, placing a kiss on the crown of Isa’s head.  
“I imagine everyone would be most appreciative of that, especially if they find out about this one...”  
“We would be most appreciative as well!” Came the shrill voice from earlier. “Perhaps when I bring by the dinosaurs. The museum would certainly love an updated one.”  
Once both men recovered from their initial shock, again, Xemnas was the one who spoke.  
“I’m sure we could work something out to get you an updated photograph, as well as anything else you may want or need for this exhibit.”  
“We would certainly appreciate it." Dr. Bianca nodded before walking off again.  
“I swear I almost lost my heart again, only this time out of my throat!” Isa said before sighing into Xemnas’s chest.  
Xemnas just chuckled and gently swayed with the other man in his arms.  
“Yes, it does seem that Dr. Bianca may have a gift for heart attacks.  
Is that the end of it all? I feel like we went through it all.”  
“Yes. That would be all of it. At least all that is open to the public.”  
“Well I’m sure if we ask our new friend we may be able to get a behind the scenes tour of the archives. If you’d like, I’d be happy to...”  
Isa silenced him with a kiss.  
“As fascinating as I’m sure that would be, I believe they will be closing soon. It is rather late in the afternoon. And I need to run to the restroom before we do anything else.”  
Xemnas nodded and released Isa’s hands as he headed towards the bathrooms.  
He stood for a moment examining a few paintings, before he realized it was probably a good time for a check in with Axel before the headed back.  
He opted to call for a fast answer, and after a few ring it was answered.  
“Hello? Eww...gross. Hold on man, I got ice cream all over my phone.”  
There was a moment of darkness, where Xemnas assumed Axel was wiping the phone, along with a few muffled curses.  
“Sorry ‘bout that. What’s up?”  
“Nothing much, we are just finishing up our date here at the museum and I was hoping to see how far along....”  
“Whoa, whoa, whoa... y’all are done already?”  
“Yes. It’s after five, and I was informed the museum will be closing soon...”  
“It’s it really after five?! Shit, it is! Stupid ...”  
“I was wondering if it’s safe to bring Isa home now or...”  
“No! No, sorry we had issues with the second batch, I donno something to do with the eggs? I didn’t even know there were eggs in ice cream, did you?”  
“I believe I was vaguely aware of that, yes.”  
“Anyway, something went wrong and now we’re on the third. And I need you to keep him away a little longer.  
I heard there was a nice new wine bar down there.  
You know a little light supper, get some wine in him... you know how he is with a bit of wine in him.  
Whatever it takes to just keep him out a bit longer and away from this kitchen! I’ll let you know when we are clear here.”  
And with that Axel disconnected the call.  
Xemnas rolled his eyes as he tucked away his phone. Somehow he had known it would end up like this. But still, he was in too deep now to back out really.  
And a wine bar didn’t so so bad. A little supper and some wine would be a nice way to conclude their day date, and Axel was right, Xemnas did know “what Isa was like” with wine or really any form of alcohol in him. It was certainly not an unappealing idea.  
Just as he was starting to indulge in those thoughts, Isa returned.  
“Is everything alright?” He asked, snapping Xemnas out of his stupor.  
“Yes, of course, everything is fine.  
I was just daydreaming about our new dinosaur puzzle, and thinking of how we should continue the evening.  
I heard there is a lovely little wine bar down here somewhere, sounds like it may be worth a visit.”  
“Hmmm. I figured we would just go home, but a wine bar does sound appealing...”  
“Then it’s settled. Let us find our wine bar and enjoy this day completely.” Xemnas replied, taking Isa’s arm and leading him out of the museum before he could argue.  
They soon found the spot and ordered a bottle and a few small plates. Another bottle soon followed and the day slipped in to night as the hours past pleasantly.  
By the time they finished the second bottle it was fairly late, and they were both pleasantly buzzed. Isa perhaps a bit more so than Xemnas, but neither were complaining about it. Especially after Isa pulled Xemnas is for a searing kiss as soon as the left the bar.  
“We should get back quickly.” Isa purred into his ear, followed with kisses to his jawline and neck.  
“Perhaps I want us to take time getting back.” Xemnas replied. “I do enjoy walking with you in the moonlight.”  
In the back of his mind Xemnas knew that wasn’t the only reason he wanted to take his time, but surely Axel and the kids were gone by now. Plus the longer the wait, the more demanding and affectionate Isa would be later.  
So he took his lover’s hand and they began the walk back towards the castle.  
The night was beautiful, and comfortable. A perfect night for a walk really, only made more perfect by the current company, even if their journey back to the castle took more than twice as long as it should have, despite Isa’s near constant pulling and pouting that they should “hurry and get back”. Even though he was the one forcing them to stop every few minutes so he could steal a kiss, or playfully nibble at Xemnas’s neck and jaw.  
Even once they had made their way to the castle’s walls, Xemnas found himself pulled of to the side and pushed against the wall itself. Within an instant lips were on his, followed closely by tongue and teeth. Isa’s thigh found its way over Xemnas’s hip. Xemnas’s hands found their way down Isa’s back and the the round of his ass.  
They spent several minutes like that, panting and grinding, making out like some sex starved teenagers. It wasn’t until they heard the changing of the guards at the gate that Xemnas realized they weren’t entirely alone, or inconspicuous.  
He gently urged Isa’s leg down and moved his hand to rest on Isa’s waist.  
Isa was initially confused by the sudden stop, but allowed himself to be guided back to and through the gate at the castle and on the the main grounds.  
Xemnas tried to keep himself from getting too distracted by Isa once again as he lead them both into the castle.  
Only once they had made it to the grand staircase did Xemnas allow himself to indulge in a kiss.  
“Why don’t you do upstairs and start us a bath?” Xemnas purred into Isa’s ear. “I will go down to the wine cellar and get us another bottle to enjoy.”  
He placed a kiss on Isa’s temple, before moving to reclaim his lips again.  
Isa nodded, savoring the kiss, and trying to drag it out as long as he could.  
Xemnas cut it off and turned Isa by the shoulders, before gently pushing him towards the stairs that lead to their room.  
After watching Isa head up the stairs, Xemnas turned to head towards the wine cellar in the kitchen.  
While no where near as inebriated as Isa was, he still was pleasantly buzzed, and ready to enjoy what was left of today to the fullest. Until he hit the kitchen.  
The kitchen that was supposed to be quiet, empty and clean, and yet here it was full of noise and people and and puddles of mess in every shade of blue and green imaginable.  
He might’ve been impressed by the sheer range of colors and scope of the mess, if he weren’t mortified by the fact that they were still present, and more than a little scared of the fit Isa would have it he found out.  
“What in Kingdom Hearts are you still doing here?!”  
Xemnas watched as they all jumped at the sound of his voice.  
“Shit! Xemnas, you’re back. Shit, shit, shit! He’s not with you is he?” Axel asked.  
“Would you still be alive if he was?”  
“Good point.”  
“I sent him upstairs to start a bath. I only came in here to get us more wine.”  
“Oh. Oh good. Yes. We can work with that. You get more wine and go back and keep him... distracted. We’ll finish up this batch and...”  
“No! You need to finish this now. You need to start cleaning. It’s a quarter til midnight, and I’ll not risk having you all still here in the morning when Isa wakes up.  
We’d all have a better chance taking up rose picking in Wonderland and keeping our heads, than to risk Isa seeing this first thing in the morning!”  
“Relax. It’s fine. He’s already been drinking, right?”  
“Yes, but...”  
“So he’s already easily distract-able, and gonna sleep in.  
Just take this wine, and go back up there and, ya know, distract.” Axel said handing Xemnas a bottle from a nearby counter.  
“First off, this is sherry. And while technically a wine, mostly you cook with it from what I understand. Not really a wine to finish off a romantic evening.  
And secondly...”  
“Xemnas?” Isa’s voice called out.  
“Shit!” Axel and Xemnas both replied.  
“Go, go! Distract him!” Axel hissed as he pushed Xemnas back towards the hall, but it was too late, and Isa’s head soon rounded the corner.  
“Xemnas, what’s taking so long...”Isa started, but upon seeing the mess of the usually pristine kitchen was immediately stunned into silence.  
He took a deep breath, and everyone else instinctively took a step back, as the slightest hint of blue flames began to dance along his skin.  
“What in the name of...”  
“It’s all a dream!” Xion said, suddenly stepping forward.  
All eyes shifted towards her, in various states of silent questioning. Isa crossed his arms and raised his brow in disbelief.  
“A dream?” He asked.  
It was a stupid ploy, no doubt, but it had at least put off the berserker rage, for now.  
“Yeah!” Roxas joined in. “Why else would we all be here at midnight in the kitchen covered in ice cream, after Xemnas took you out for a date all day?”  
Xemnas immediately fixed a glare at Roxas. So much for his immunity in this whole event.  
Though his glare faded when he felt Isa’s glare on him.  
Yep, he was probably going to die tonight. Again. He really should be use to it by now.  
For a brief moment he wondered if he would go back to Terra. Probably not since he had his own body and heart now, but that probably wouldn’t stop Isa from killing Terra to just to make sure, judging from the intensity of his glare.  
“That’s right! All a dream.” Axel joined in, waving his arms about. “You’ve drank too much, and now you are sleep waking in the castle and hallucinating ice cream...”  
Isa’s glare did fade, if only by a bit, and it had once again shifted, over to Axel.  
“I mean seriously, do you really believe we would get Xemnas involved in a plot to keep you distracted all day so that we could use the castle’s kitchen to make a few dozen ice creams, keep messing up the formula making us end up here until midnight, with a mess all the way to the ceiling? Come on! Of course this is a dream... you’re like sleep walkin’ all over the place and Xem’s trying to hunt you down. You just really wanted sea salt ice cream right as your were falling asleep.”  
And for a second, a single blessed second, Isa looks as if he’s almost bought into it.  
Maybe he did fall asleep waiting for Xemnas. It wouldn’t be the first time, and he could be prone to sleep walking. Sea slat ice cream did sound kinda nice, and this whole scenario did seem a bit ridiculous. Not completely out of the question, but far fetched at the very least...  
And just as he was beginning to consider that this could really be just a dream, a large glob of ice cream fell on him from the ceiling. Viscous and sticky and definitely confirming this was not a dream.  
The flames were back, but Isa spoke as low and even and cold as ever.  
“You will all stop whatever you are doing, right now, and clean this mess up. This kitchen will be put back in order and cleaned to my standards before I get up in the morning.”  
And with that he left.  
Everyone stood in a stunned silence, knowing better than to argue, but still somewhat in awe of the fact it didn’t dissolve into a complete berserker rage.  
Xemnas grabbed a mop from a supply closet. “I suppose we should get started...”  
Before anyone could say anything against it Isa reappeared and grabbed Xemnas by the arm.  
“Not you. Your punishment is different...” He said as he drug Xemnas away.  
Axel grimaced and bowed his head in a silent apology to Xemnas.  
“That’s not fair.” Roxas said after they had left. “Why does Xemnas get out of cleaning and get a “different punishment”?”  
“Nah, Roxy, you got it all wrong. Poor Xemnas is about to have a way worse time than any of us. Not sure what Isa will come up with, but the punishment has to fit the crime in his eyes. Be glad we only got clean up duty, for now.”  
Xemnas knew better than to argue or defend against punishment. He had messed up and he had a price to pay. He just hoped it would be quick.  
It was not.  
It was long and drawn out, a little on the cruel side, and honestly probably exactly what Xemnas deserved in his own opinion. But that didn’t really help the ache in his wrist arms and back the following morning.  
And it did nothing to help anyone’s mood for the following days the second phase of his “punishment” continued.  
It was three days later when Axel received a frantic call from Myde, demanding he come to Radiant Garden and “fix it”.  
“Dude! It’s soooooo bad! Isa’s acting worse than he did before, when he was still, ya know.  
We all used to say he had a stick up his ass, but I think it’s the lack of something up there that really puts him in a bad mood...  
He’s like completely refusing any intimacy, and it’s made him super grouchy! It’s made Xem a little grouchy too, but mostly just sad.  
And Isa being grouchy is making everyone else here super grouchy and it’s just tense man! I can’t stand it.”  
“Dude, I don’t think me apologizing is really gonna fix much, Isa is just being Isa. He’s gotta be mean and a little dramatic first and then he’ll get over it.”  
“I don’t know. It’s been three days, you’re plan b. Plan a was to just let them ride it out, but it’s just gotten way to tense for that. Plan c is to lock them in the supply closet until they kiss and make up or kill each other.”  
“Alright, alright, let’s not let it get to that. I’ll try to sneak over in a bit and see what I can do. Not that I’m on either of their favorite persons list right now... but I’ll see what I can do.”  
And that’s how Axel found himself back in Radiant Garden, with a large coffee and small cake as apology gifts.  
“What are you doing back already? Haven’t you caused enough trouble?” Dylan said pointing one of his spears at the cup in Axel’s hand.  
“Hey now, this is an apology for grumpy bear. Let’s not make him any grumpier.” Axel replied, moving the coffee away from the potential danger.  
“Everyone is grumpy thanks to your ice cream stunt.”  
“And I’m here now to unmake the grumpiness. You’re welcome.” Axel replied with a mock bow as he strolled by the guards towards the area of the castle currently serving as a clinic.  
His first order of business was to seek out Xemnas. In his new heartful state he would be more likely to give in and accept Axel’s apology. Isa on the other hand... that would take a little bit more. But it was ok, Axel knew his oldest friend better than anyone else, and he knew exactly how to get him where he needed to be.  
He snuck down the hallway on look out for Isa and was happy when he was no where to be seen.  
He did manage to find Myde who interim was able I help him find Xemnas.  
“What do you want.” Xemnas said gruffly.  
“Look man, I just came to apologize for getting you into this whole mess, and getting you in trouble with Isa. I know he can be a bit unreasonable when he’s upset...”  
“I think he’s being well within reason. I betrayed his trust by listening to you. Even if he’s being a bit... harsh, it’s no less than I deserve. And certainly no worse than what I’ve done.”  
There was an awkward pause, as the truth of Xemnas’s words sank in.  
“I can’t really argue with that. But still that was... before, ya know. And well, I’m still sorry about the trouble I got you into.  
It’s obvious that you care about Isa, and he cares about you, and I shouldn’t have used that to my advantage.  
So, I’m sorry.” Axel said holding the cake out in Xemnas’s direction.  
“Look, we even made you a little cake to make up for the ice creams you didn’t get.”  
Xemnas took the cake from him and saw the written on it in icing was a big “We’re sorry A, R, & X”.  
It was, honestly, quite touching, and he found it near impossible to remain mad at any of them for the whole ordeal. Stupid, forgiving heart.  
“Fine. I suppose I can accept your apology.  
It doesn’t fix things between Isa and myself nor does it really fix thing between you all and him, but I will accept it as a start.”  
“Good,” Axel replied, “I can accept that.”  
He looked past Xemnas and saw target number two approaching, and knew that now was time to enact stage two of his mastermind plan.  
He casually filled the distance between himself and Xemnas and pulled him into a hug.  
“What are you doing?” Xemnas asked, mildly confused.  
“Uh, it’s called a hug dude. I figured you had at least gotten a few of those in by now.” Axel replied, still maintaining his embrace.  
“Yes I know what a hug is, but why are you hugging me? And more over why are you still hugging me?”  
“Shhhh. Just go with it. All part of the plan.”  
“What plan?!”  
“The plan to help fix thing between you and Isa.”  
“The what?!”  
“Trust me. I know Isa better than just about anyone, and that little green eyed monster of his runs deeper than he cares to admit...”  
“Axel...”  
“Don’t worry. It’ll all work out, starting in three, two, one...”  
“What are you doing here Lea?” Isa’s voice came from right behind Xemnas.  
He felt Isa’s hand on his shoulder pulling him out of the embrace.  
“What? I can’t come to apologize to my oldest friend and his hot piece of arm candy?”  
Isa tried not to be outwardly affected, but still bristled at the comment, while Xemnas stood mostly confused.  
“Nice arms by the way. Have you been working out?” He continued to Xemnas, ignoring Isa’s obvious agitation.  
“Yes? We all do...”  
“Don’t answer him.” Isa said stepping between Axel and Xemnas.  
He knew he was being ridiculous, and he knew Axel was doing it on purpose, but still he had his pride as well as his insecurities.  
“What do you want?”  
“Like I said, just here to apologize. Look, even brought a peace offering.” Axel said holding out the coffee. “It’s your favorite...”  
Isa continued to glare at him suspiciously but took the offered cup, and took a tentative sip.  
He once again tried to appear outwardly unaffected, and once again failed as he all but melted at the taste of his favorite coffee.  
“Fine. I will accept this, and your apology, but I had better never catch you in the kitchen without my expressed permission, and I never, never want to see you attempting to make a gross dozen of anything, let alone ice cream, ever again.”  
“Ok, ok, I got it memorized. Only make messes in my own kitchen.  
Now, if you’ll excuse me. If got my own kitchen to clean and some more groceries to pick up...”  
“Please tell me you didn’t go back and try in your own kitchen.”  
“Not the full batch.”  
“Lea...”  
“My kitchen, my mess.”  
“Ugh.”  
“See ya, Isa!” Axel called as he took off running before Isa could argue more. “Later Xem!”  
Xemnas just stood there waving his goodbyes, unsure of what exactly had just happened, while Isa continued to shout obscenities at Axel’s departure.  
A short while later Xemnas sat alone at the desk in his office, nibbling at his cake, when there was suddenly a gentle tap on his door.  
“Come in.” He called, and was surprised to see Isa silently step through his door.  
“Do you have a moment?” He asked.  
“Of course.”  
“With Lea’s apology earlier, I realize I may have been a bit harder on you than I should have been.  
I know you were most likely drug into this ordeal, not entirely willingly. And I know you have already apologized to me numerous times over the last several days, and I have still been...cold and abrasive. And for that I would like to apologize.”  
“Apology accepted.” Xemnas said rising from his desk to go stand near Isa. “And I would once again like to apologize for...”  
Isa cut him off with a kiss. “Shhhh, no more of that.” He replied with a smile. “Do you have a bit of down time?” he asked stepping back towards the door.  
“A little more than an hour before I have anything scheduled.” Xemnas replied.  
“Good.” Isa said as he pushed the door closed and locked it, while closing the blinds. “We have lost time to make up for.”

Several more months, and ploys, 2 completed dinosaurs, and one exploding cake fiasco later, Axel received a text from Xemnas’s phone, asking to meet up in Radiant Garden at a coffee shop not too far from the castle. At this point Isa and Xemnas had been nearly inseparable so it wasn’t odd to get a text from Xemnas that was actually from Isa or vice versa, and in all honesty Xemnas had grown on Axel. Maybe still not his favorite person to be around, but not nearly as disliked or untrusted as before. So he confirmed the time and location and made sure he was there.  
And he was surprised when he found only Xemnas sitting at the cafe, nursing a coffee.  
“Isa coming to join in a bit or...”  
Xemnas jumped a bit, suddenly pulled from his thoughts. He looked around apprehensively, before realizing it was only Axel and relaxing.  
“Whoa there, you ok? Don’t think I’ve ever seen you so jumpy before. At least not out side emergency rescue missions and last minute surgeries.”  
“Yes, I’m fine.” Xemnas sighed, visibly relaxing. “I was just mentally preoccupied.”  
“Ah. So where is my BFF?” Axel said plopping down in a seat across the table from Xemnas.  
“Puppy therapy.” Xemnas replied. “He won’t be joining us today, I’m afraid.”  
Xemnas seemed nervous, he tapped his fingers on the table and sipped at his coffee.  
“So just you and me?” Axel asked.  
“Yes.”  
“Did he bail, or...”  
“No.”  
Xemnas took another deep breath.  
“I asked you here.  
I, well, I believe I would like your help with something.”  
“You, want help from me?”  
Xemnas silently nodded.  
“I donno if you realized this or not, but I’m not exactly the most helpful person, and you don’t got that great of a track record yourself, so...”  
Xemnas snorted and rolled his eyes at Axel’s antics.  
Axel sighed. “Alright, so what exactly are you so desperate for help that only yours truly is able to provide?”  
And with that Xemnas reached into his pocket and pulled out a tiny black box and put it on the table.  
Axel pulled the box over and examined its contents.  
“Xem, I’m flattered, really, but I hardly know you and this is all so fast...”  
Xemnas glared at him as his snapped the box shut and took it out of Axel’s hand.  
“So you really want to go through with this?”  
“Of course.  
I’ve loved him for so long. Far longer than you know, far longer than I even realized. Since before I could even begin to fathom what love was...”  
“Cool your jets there Romeo. I don’t need to hear a 45 minute long speech about how long you’ve been in love with him. I just need to know I can trust you to alway love him and take care of him.  
As his oldest, closest, and best friend I need to know that he’s gonna be more than ok, more than happy and satisfied.  
I need to know that you are gonna do everything in your power to make sure of that. I need to hear you promise you are gonna do everything to love and cherish and live your life for him before I can give you my consent, to even ask for whatever favor it is your gonna ask, so you can ask him.  
Promise me Xemnas, promise me he’s in good hands.”  
Xemnas sat quietly for a bit, fiddling with the ring box in his hand.  
“My hands aren’t great. They are worn and calloused and by no means clean, but they are healing, and they have healed greatly due to the patience and tenderness and love they have been give by him. And I feel that they may never truly be good enough for him, I feel like nothing will ever be good enough or deserving enough for him, but that doesn’t mean I won’t try.  
I will do my best daily, hourly, by the second to be worthy of him.  
And I don’t believe for a single second I could ever stop loving him. Xehanort could revive and rip my heart out of my chest for all to see, and I don’t think my love for Isa would wane in the slightest.  
Isa himself could rip it from me and I would willingly stand there while he did.  
My hands aren’t good, but the are the best I’ve got, and they exist solely for Isa.”  
“Not exactly the answer I was going for...but I’ll take it.  
You love him, and he loves you. And how can I help you make all this official?”  
“Well, as you say, you are his oldest closest and best friend, you have often claimed to know him better than anyone else, and that well may be true. So the favor I have to ask of you is this.  
Help me plan the perfect proposal.”  
“Hmmmm. On the one hand you are planning on taking my best friend away, and condemning him to a life a marital bliss, on the other hand... what are your current thoughts or plans?”  
“You’ve known me for a while now Axel, and you know I don’t like to do anything in half measures. If it were me I’d scream it from the top of the castle.  
I’d have a full parade, and rain of flowers, all would be there to witness as I bare my heart to my love and ask for his hand in marriage.  
But we both know Isa. And we both know that is not very likely to get me the answer I would prefer.”  
Axel snorted at that. “No, not it most likely won’t.  
It’d most likely get you slapped, at best.”  
They both laughed at that.  
“That why I need your help. Beyond “probably at night under the moon and stars...” I’ve got nothing.  
I was hoping you could give me insight to somewhere nearby, somewhere beautiful, or special. Perhaps somewhere Isa was fond of as a child?”  
“I dunno about that. I’m pretty sure the ice cream shop might be a little too public, and the library closes too early, and probably discourages that sort of attention grabbing activity anyway...  
Have you considered the crystal paths outside town?”  
“The ones we’ve used more than once as a massive battle ground?  
I had considered, but ultimately assumed there may be one too many bad memories out there.”  
“That’s...fair.  
I dunno. I do agree that “under the moon and stars” part. Maybe let me look around and think about it. There’s lot of cool places off world, maybe one of them will be your perfect location.  
Regardless I do think you probably want to keep your potential audience as small as possible. Like probably just the two of you, if possible.”  
“I know. That would be...ideal.”  
“Alright. I’ll keep thinking and looking, you just keep thinking about what you’re gonna say!”  
And with that arrangement made, they continued on their ways.  
It was about a week later when Xemnas next heard from Axel.  
Xemnas had been looking out and about for anywhere that may hold that magic spark he desired, the castle gardens, the crystal paths, roof top dining areas, but nothing felt right.  
But then Axel called.  
“Dude, are you busy? I’ll be right there.”  
And before Xemnas could even reply Axel had hung up.  
A few minutes later he could hear Axel down the hall, harassing Ienzo to help him find Xemnas and avoid Isa. And within moments they were all crowded inside Xemnas’s office.  
“Axel what is this all about?” Ienzo asked, unsure why the others seemed so excitable, and why it was necessary to avoid Isa.  
Axel stuck his head back out into the hall to check one last time before shutting the door and locking it.  
“I’ve found it!” He exclaimed, grabbing Xemnas by the shoulders.  
“You have?” Asked Xemnas.  
“Yes! It’s perfect! It’s off world, but I have already worked out something for that, but it’s perfect! Secluded but with the perfect view, and they have this thing called the aurora... it’s amazing!”  
“What are you talking about?” Asked Ienzo, whom both had forgotten was present.  
“Oh, ummm.. does he know?” Axel asked, hoping he hadn’t given away too much.  
“Kind of. He is aware of the overall plan, but not that I enlisted you to help.”  
“Oh!” Ienzo suddenly exclaimed. “Is it the spot then? How exciting!”  
“Shhhhh!” Axel hushed. “We don’t want him to hear.”  
“Of course.” Ienzo said as he lowered his voice.  
“Alright, Xem, grab your coat. I want to show you.”  
“Right now?!”  
“Yeah! The sooner the better right? Grab your coat! Ienzo, cover for us.”  
“Wh-what?!  
I-I-I can’t! What if Isa starts to ask questions? It’s hard enough keeping one secret!”  
“You’ll be fine. If he asks just tell him I dropped in with those embarrassing spots again. He’ll know what I’m taking about and probably drop it.  
Also don’t go digging through Even’s files to find out more about that, it was... embarrassing...  
But anyway, you good to go?” He asked as Xemnas had just finished pulling on his coat.  
“Ready.” He replied.  
And with that Axel opened a corridor and lead them through.  
When the stepped out of the corridor Xemnas was surprised to find them standing in a field of green, on what appeared to be the side of a mountain. It was definitely private. Xemnas could just barely make out a town in the distance, with castle spires rising above.  
“Arendelle?” He asked.  
“Yep.  
Kairi told me about the night sky here when she came out a few weeks ago with Sora and Riku. I came to check it out last night and let me tell you, it’s something you won’t forget.”  
“Yes, I do recall seeing it before. But at the time that kind of beauty was lost on me.  
But I do think Isa would appreciate it. Though it may be a bit chilly, even for the summer season here.”  
“Can you still do the pocket demotion thing? Ya know, set up a little force field to keep the wind out?  
I mean I scoped the place out, and found a little shielded area for you, but it’d probably still be a good idea for you to shield it.  
This way.”  
“I can manage a small one for a length of time, I suppose. I haven’t really tried to hold one for very long since the war. But I suppose we could always just cast a barrier spell for a bit, if need be.” Xemnas mused as they walked.  
Soon they came to a rockier portion of the mountain side, and Axel lead him to a perfect little outcropping, shielded on three sides by large stones.  
“Here we are. Shielded from most of the wind coming down the mountain, but you still have a great view of the sky, and this far out of town, no one is likely to see you, let alone bother you.  
Add in some romantic firelight and a picnic dinner, and you will be set my friend.”  
“Huh.” Xemnas laughed. “That the first time you’ve called me that. I think it may be the first time anyone has really called me that.”  
“Huh...  
I guess you’re right. It is the first time I’ve said it out loud. It it doesn’t make it any less truth though.  
You’ve grown on me. Though I gotta admit, I wasn’t too sure about this all at first. You, and Isa, shit man when they even suggested bringing you back...  
But then, I dunno, I saw how you were. How you really are with Isa, with a heart and mind of your own, and well, it’s not so bad.  
You’re not so bad.  
So yeah, we are friends, and for more than just Isa’s sake. Don’t get me wrong if you hurt him in anyway, I will still kick your ass.”  
“And I would gladly welcome it.”  
“I’m holding you to that.”  
“Please do.” Xemnas laughed. “And thank you. For your help and your friendship.”  
“Yeah, yeah. Just make sure you give my oldest best friend the best proposal ever, best wedding ever while your at it too.”  
“I will certainly do my best. Though I believe that last part will be mostly at Isa’s discretion.”  
“Don’t say that, Isa’ll make it lame. With only like 5 people, and health food!”  
Xemnas laughed again, “That’s probably a fair argument. I will do my best to not give him full control over wedding planning. But first I will need to ask, and hopefully get a positive response.”  
“You will.”  
“I certainly hope so. But beyond that, we do have another issue.  
This place is beautiful, and even without seeing it at night, I’m sure it is more than perfect. However, it is off world, so... how am I supposed to manage...”  
“Oh don’t worry about that! Apparently in three days there’s gonna be a big party in town to celebrate...I dunno, something or another. Anyway Sora, Riku, and Kairi will all be there, and they know you will be here. So technically you will have guardians off world with you.  
Plus it’s not like Isa isn’t almost a master anyway. And after this, I think your probationary period may be coming to an end.  
But you didn’t hear either of those things from me...  
But definitely make sure if Isa does put a strict guest limit, master Aqua should probably still be near the top. Just sayin.”  
“O-oh, I shall bear that in mind.  
Not that I imagine she wouldn’t be near the top.”  
“Still, you didn’t hear anything from me.”  
“Of course.”  
They sat there for a few minutes, in a brief, but companionable silence before Xemnas once again spoke.  
“We should probably head back soon, though. Ienzo is no where as good of a liar as he once was, and if Isa pushes too hard, he will break.”  
“Right. Well then let’s get you back, so we can get you back here and then hopefully to the altar!”  
“Three days... I suppose I will have to finalize my speech.  
As well has figure out dinner plans, seeing as I am still not allowed in the kitchen, even when supervised...”  
They both laughed as they made their way through, and back into Xemnas’s office.  
Outside they could hear Ienzo’s voice, “he said it was private and he didn’t want anyone to know about it. He said it was embarrassing.”  
“He acts like I wasn’t the one who had to talk him into coming the last time...  
Trust me Ienzo, I’ve seen Axel’s ass far more times than I care to even try to remember, I doubt he will be that scarred if I see it again...”  
They exchanged a brief glance before Xemnas rushed to pull off his coat and toss it in the closet.  
“What was the issue before?” Xemnas whispered.  
“I don’t remember, something like butt acne but not? Something about sweating too much and not changing my underwear often enough, and a questionable hot tub Isa and I tried to make at home...”  
Xemnas looked at Axel with a mix of confusion and mild disgust.  
“I think I know what it could be, or could have been...  
But really? Dirty underwear?”  
“We were 14! And it was the middle of summer vacation ok? I didn’t know better.” Axel huffed as he made it look like he was fastening his pants again just as the door opened.  
“Yes, well...” Xemnas started, “make sure to clean it gently and avoid sitting in your own sweat for too long. No homemade hot tubs, and for hearts sake change your underwear regularly.”  
“Right! Got it!” Axel said as he turned and “accidentally” bumped into Isa.  
“Sorry bud, you missed the show. Xem got an eyeful though.”  
“I’m sure I’ll manage to live, but really Lea? Did you learn nothing from that summer?”  
“Meh..” Axel said with a shrug.  
“Let me know how everything works out! Hear from you in a few days!” He said waving as he slunk out of the office and down the hall.  
The following three days were both an eternity and a blur as Xemnas made his final preparations. It had gone surprisingly well and stayed amazingly secret for the shear amount of people who knew.  
The night of, Ienzo helped him procure a secretly prepared picnic basket, filled with food, blankets, and candles. Myde made a “romantic” playlist for his phone. King Ansem and Even had both listened to his speech and given their approval. He had the ring. Now he just needed to find and convince his hopefully future fiancé of their off world dinner plans.  
Finding Isa was easy enough, having gone up to their room to change out of his regular work scrubs into something more comfortable.  
Xemnas also changed, into a more formal, yet still comfortable dress shirt and sweater vest. He also pulled out one of his favorite sweaters of Isa’s and offered it out.  
“You may want this, just in case.”  
“Oh?” Isa asked, as he took the offered sweater. “You do realize it’s the middle of summer?”  
“Yes, well, I’ve made dinner arrangements for us... off world. Special arrangements and all, have already been sorted.” Xemnas replied as he fished their coats out from the closet as well.  
A small “ah” was all Isa could muster in response, as he took his coat from Xemnas.  
Once they were secure in their coats Xemnas grabbed the picnic basket in one arm while offering Isa his other.  
“Is that our “dinner arrangements” for the evening?” Isa joked as he poked at the basket in Xemnas’s arms.  
“It’s none of your concern for the moment.” Xemnas said, holding the basket a little further from Isa’s reach.  
“If we’re going to dinner, off world, that for some reason requires a sweater in the middle of the summer, I’m afraid it is, at least a little bit of my concern.”  
Xemnas pouted a bit and pulled the basket further away.  
“You’ll find out soon enough. I planned a very romantic picnic for us.  
And before you say anything, no I did not cook, but I did have some input on what was prepared.” He said, preening just a bit.  
Isa just smiled as he took Xemnas’s arm and shook his head.  
“Very well. Although I am still curious as to where and why...”  
“Ah, ah, ah.” Xemnas replied opening a portal before them. “All will be revealed soon enough.”  
“Then, by all means, lead the way.”  
The sun was just starting to set as the exited the portal. And Isa felt a chill as a breeze blew by.  
He took a moment to look around and try to get his bearings.  
“Arandel?” He questioned.  
A deep hum of confirmation came from Xemnas.  
“Why are we in... what is that?!” Isa asked pointing to the iridescent waves floating in the sky.  
“Ah. Earlier than I expected.  
That is what we are here for, or at least a small fraction of what we are here for. The aurora borealis.  
It happens when solar winds interact with the atmosphere of the planet and ionize and excite atmospheric constituents.  
For all your excitement and knowledge of celestial bodies and events, I assumed you had heard of them, though I suppose they aren’t exactly a regular occurrence on our home world.”  
“I had heard of them, but never really had a chance to see one myself. Despite all the various worlds I have traveled to.  
They truly are awe inspiring.”  
They wondered over to the little out cropping that Axel had picked out. He, Roxas and Xion had come through earlier in the day and helped set up a bit. With extra blankets and firewood. Xemnas released Isa’s arm and finished setting up the area comfortably while Isa continued gazing at the sky. Before he realized it a barrier spell had been casted and the wind was not quite as biting.  
He turned and finally took in the little nook that had been prepared for them. He watched as Xemnas pulled out more candles from the basket and place them around their little site, before snapping his fingers and lighting them all. He then began to pull dishes from the basket and set them up all along the the blankets.  
“This is quite the spread.” Isa complimented. “You thought to bring all this?”  
“It’s finger food mostly. Things I thought would be easily consumed in a place like this.  
Ienzo also helped me come up with things to bring.  
And of course...” Xemnas pulled a bottle of wine out from the bottom of the basket.  
He poured them both a glass.  
“A toast. To us. May it be a beautiful and magical evening.”  
Isa smiled as their glasses touched.  
“Indeed.”  
Some time after their toast, when food had been eaten and a few more glasses had, Isa watched the sky, enraptured by its beauty, while Xemnas watched him, no less enthused.  
Isa tilted his head, ever so slightly, and gave Xemnas a side glance before taking another sip and asking, “Why tonight?”  
A deep, questioning hum reverberated from Xemnas.  
“What makes tonight so special? For you to suddenly plan a picnic dinner off world? Surely there must be some great, once every hundred years occasion. I’m just curious as to what?” Isa said, moving to more fully face his lover.  
Xemnas smiled, and sighed a soft “ah”, before slowly caressing Isa’s cheek. “It’s a special night, simply because I wish for it to be.”  
“Oh? Is that how things are working again now? You wish for it to be, and then it is so?” Isa teased with a smile.  
“Yes? Or at least I hope so. I suppose I should say I would like to make special. Hopefully a once in a lifetime event...” Xemnas replied, getting into a more appropriate position and pulling the tiny box from his pocket.  
Isa almost went into a state of shock. Even with his gift of foresight, and his nosey, loud, and obnoxiously gossipy coworkers/cohabitants/friends, he hadn’t had the slightest hint of this being what Xemnas had planned. Of course it hadn’t been the least likely thing to happen. Isa supposed it was never really a thing he thought wouldn’t happen, eventually, but it certainly hadn’t been high on the list of expectations. It almost felt too soon, but then also like it should’ve happened forever ago.  
The blood rushed to his cheeks, painting them even redder than they had been. A small “oh” pasted his lips as he brought his hands to his mouth. Entirely surprised, and unsure what to do about it.  
And absolutely beautiful.  
Between the light of the moon and the ever changing glow of the aurora, Isa looked more beautiful than Xemnas could ever remember seeing him.  
Too beautiful even.  
So beautiful Xemnas forgot everything he had planned on saying. So he kneeled there, ring in hand, silently staring at his lover with all the adoration in the world.  
“Hearts, you are beautiful.” Was all he managed to get out.  
After several long moments of silence, Isa broke into a fit of giggles, before all but tackling Xemnas back down to the ground.  
“Is that really all you have prepared for this? Not that my answer will change, but I kind of expected a bit more of a speech...” Isa teased.  
“Isa, my moon, my love, my heart, it’s all I can remember. And while I’m sure I mentioned your beauty several times in my ideal speech, it’s all I can think of now.” Xemnas dramatically bemoaned.  
“Quite possibly the most important speech I have ever, and will ever make in my life, and I can’t remember a single word.  
Not a thing beyond “I love you, and I always want to be with you.” And just how extraordinarily beautiful you are... and now as you sit here and stare at me with those eyes...”  
“I could close them if you’d like...”  
“Never!” Xemnas exclaimed “now that you’ve got them back... they are honestly my favorite color, in all the worlds and universes I have visited. And I am beside myself at having been the one who hid their true beauty away for so long.”  
Xemnas gently caressed Isa’s face, before gently kissing the center of his forehead.  
Isa’s eyes fluttered close for a a second before once again meeting his lover’s.  
Xemnas smiled gently as he gathered Isa’s hands into his own.  
“Now I believe you said your answer wouldn’t be affected by my confession, so, be gentle with me...” he said before kissing the back of Isa’s hands.  
“Hmmm. I suppose I did say that, and I suppose it hasn’t been.” Isa smiled at him.  
He leaned forward and gently kissed the corner of Xemnas’s mouth, before sitting back down and taking the ring box from Xemnas’s hand.  
“If you took the time to plan a romantic dinner, an off world dinner no less, and a whole speech, which you somehow managed to forget, and miraculously somehow kept it all quite, I assume you somehow found a way to get my ring size without my knowledge?” Isa asked as he took the ring from the box and began to slide it on his finger.  
“Here, let me do at least this much correctly.” Xemnas said, taking the ring in his own hand before sliding onto Isa’s hand.  
It did, in fact, fit perfectly, because Xemnas had gotten Isa’s ring size. Or at least the physical measurement of his finger, from the very in-depth physical evaluation they had all undergone upon recompletion. Either way, it fit, and gleamed beautifully under the twinkling stars and dancing aurora.  
Xemnas raised Isa’s hand to his lips and kissed it yet again. “Is this a yes then?”  
Isa gave a coy smile and a “thoughtful” hum. “I suppose it is a sign... all things lining up perfectly because you “wished it” to be a wonderful night, the ring fitting perfectly... would be a shame to waist it all...  
Of course it’s a yes.  
As if it could ever be anything other.”  
Isa wrapped his hands around Xemnas’s face and once again leaned in for a kiss, and another, and another.

Meanwhile, back in the castle at Radiant Garden, Even walked past one of the small lounges. Where he witnessed Ienzo and Myde on one couch, constantly updating their Kingstagram, while Aleus and Dylan sat in chairs flanking the couch. Trying to not appear too apprehensive, but obviously interested as well.  
Even let out a huff to announce his presence.  
“Honestly, it’s not as if Isa is going to just allow him to announce it the moment he says yes.  
They probably won’t say anything publicly tonight. You’ll just have to wait to see the ring on Isa’s hand tomorrow.”  
“You don’t know that for sure!” Myde wined.  
“Besides, what if Isa says “no”? Or if he needs more time?” Ienzo added  
“Honestly, I doubt Isa could ever say no. The worst he might do is request some time to think on it, but ultimately we all know he will come to the same conclusion.” Even replied, with a fond roll of his eyes. “Too in love...”  
“Yeah but...” Myde started, but was interrupted when Ienzo suddenly jumped up.  
“He said yes!”  
Suddenly everyone swarmed him, peering at his phone over his shoulders.  
The announcement was from Xemnas’s account. A simple picture of their hands intertwined against the night sky, clearly showcasing Isa’s hand, and more prominently the new engagement ring on said hand.  
There was a chorus of “awww’s” to varying degrees before Even finally spoke up.  
“There, you see. Never any need for worry. Isa said yes, just as we all expected he would.  
Now, if you will excuse me, I do believe it’s past most of our bed times. Certainly mine. Do try and make sure you all get some amount of sleep tonight, yes? It’s rather obvious that those two won’t be.”  
And with that he wandered away from the group, towards his room.  
“Wasn’t he the one who used to stay up all hours of the night working on all sorts of crazy stuff? I mean come on, it’s only like... oh yeesh! It’s after midnight.” Myde exclaimed.  
It wasn’t long after that everyone said their goodnights and went their own ways.  
Everyone except Ienzo, who wanted to sty up and welcome and congratulate the happy couple when they came back. So he grabbed so reading material and curled up on the sofa waiting, and that’s exactly where they found him, asleep, when Xemnas and Isa finally returned a few hours later.  
“Ienzo, Ienzo...” Isa whispered near the sleeping boy.  
“Perhaps we should leave him alone to sleep?” Came Xemnas’s deeper voice from somewhere further back.  
“That can’t be a comfortable position for him. And it can’t be good for his back...”  
“I could carry him back to his room, if you’d like?”  
“Perhaps...”  
Ienzo finally found the strength to open eyes, and blinkingly stared at the two older men before him.  
“I suppose that won’t be necessary after all.  
Good morning sleepy head. Care to tell us why you’re asleep out here at 3 in the morning instead of in your bed, where good scientists should be?” Isa teased.  
Ienzo sat up and stretched a bit before letting out a yawn.  
“Xemnas is still out of bed...” he attempted to tease back.  
“I said good scientists.” Isa replied as Xemnas huffed and rolled his eyes.  
“Though, I suppose it is a bit my fault he’s still out of bed, but I didn’t want to just leave the leftover food and dishes in our room while we slept.”  
“Oh yes, that’s why I’m still out! I wanted to be the first to congratulate you in person!” Ienzo said, suddenly bristling with energy. “Congratulations on your engagement!” He said with a smile.  
“Thank you.” Isa replied with a smile of his own, as Xemnas wrapped his arms around him from the side.  
“Still you should get in bed now. Even will have all our heads in the morning if he knows your were up and about at this time.”  
And with a final goodnight they went their separate ways. Ienzo to bed, and Isa and Xemnas to finish celebrating their perfect evening.

The following day, Axel was pleasantly surprised by an actual phone call from his best friend and not just a text. A rarity from Isa for sure.  
“I heard I have you to thank for a big part of last night.”  
“Awwww. Was it beautiful and perfect and everything you ever imagined it would be? Are you calling to give me your eternal gratitude and make sure I am the first to receive my invitation to your wedding? Are you wearing the ring? Lemme see the ring! I saw it in the box and the picture from last night but I wanna see it on!”  
Isa rolled his eyes as he lifted his hand to be viewable on camera.  
“Of course I’m wearing it! I wouldn’t just get an engagement ring, say yes, and then not wear it.”  
Axel whistled as Isa held up his hand.  
“Nice! It really does suit you, good job Xem!  
Oh, and congrats by the way! Super cute picture and announcement. Even if we did have to stay up til midnight to see it.”  
“I’m honestly surprised I didn’t get a call from you last night, the minute I let Xemnas make the post.”  
Axel shrugged, “I kinda figured you might be busy “making wild animal noises” and scaring off the yetis...”  
Isa raised an eyebrow, “Really, Lea? Really?”  
He tried his best to look incredulous, but his reddening neck and ears gave him away.  
Axel stared him down with a know it all grin for a few seconds before Isa flipped his hair and looked away from the camera.  
“Besides, we finished with all of that before I let him make the post... then we returned home and continued there.  
Far more comfortable in our own bed...”  
“And we’re gettin pretty close to TMI territory there.” Axel interrupted.  
It was Isa’s turn to grin.  
“At any rate, I suppose you’ll be super busy now, picking out invitations, cake testing, suit shopping... maybe wanna get that best man request in soon... save yourself a little hassle?”  
“Hmmm, you’re probably right I should pick and ask a best man soon... but I’ve grown so close to both Ienzo and Myde, how do I pick between...” Isa teased.  
“Wow! Ass...” was Axel’s only response.  
Isa laughed and rolled his eyes. “Of course you’re going to be my best man. I didn’t even think I’d really have to ask. Which I suppose I didn’t.”  
Isa sighed.  
“If we even decide to go that route.”  
“Whaddaya mean, “if you decide to go that route”?”  
“I mean, if we decide to actually have a wedding. Or if we decide to just elope. Or if we decide to just ask one of the many kings and officiants we know to just marry us on the spot.  
We all know I’m not the biggest fan of crowds or being the center of attention. Besides, we aren’t exactly the most celebrated couple in our social group, and it’s not like Xemnas and I haven’t been practically married for the last 5 years or so. We done our “til death to we part” thing several times at this point, and we just keep coming back together. So I really don’t see the need for all the pomp and circumstance.”  
“Yeah, but still it’s not just your wedding. And I may not know Xemnas quite like you do, I still know the man loves nothing more than being the center of attention, and bragging about, doting on, and showing the universe how much he loves you.  
You gotta let him have some say too.  
Besides, I think he did a very good job toning down his proposal. Trust me, he wanted parades and raining flowers and yelling from the roof tops, and all those thing you would absolutely hate. So the fact he went for just a simple, you and him under the night sky, super secluded, private proposal speaks volumes.”  
Isa let out another sigh. “I know.  
Truthfully, that is probably why I was caught off guard by his proposal last night. I fully expected him to do something loud and obnoxiously pretentious to ask.”  
“Like take up skywriting?”  
“Please don’t give him ideas.”  
“But still, you gotta let him have some say in this. Marriage is supposed to be one of those give and take types of deals right? And I know you, once you get something in your head you don’t like to compromise.”  
Isa scoffed.  
“Seriously Is I’ve been your group partner for like every group activity we’ve ever had or done since kindergarten... you’re definitely an only child when it comes to that kinda stuff.”  
“Wow...”  
“Look me in the eyes and tell me I’m wrong Isa.”  
After a few seconds of silence Isa acquiesced.  
“No, you’re probably right...  
Still I don’t want, or need a guest list of a hundred people.”  
“No, you don’t.  
Do you guys even know a hundred people? Like actually know, know? Well enough to invite to a wedding?”  
“Probably not. But would that really stop Xemnas from inviting that many?”  
“That’s fair.  
So put a firm number on your guest list and only invite people you’re really ok with being there, but promise me you won’t just drag Xemnas up to king Ansem and demand to be married that second because you “don’t wanna deal with” having an actual wedding.”  
“It’s just so much to plan and prepare and think about. You know I’ve never been one who dreamed about the wedding, just the domesticity afterwards.  
It’s just... a lot.”  
“And that’s why you ask your best man early! So I can help you with all that stuff.  
I mean you probably should go over some of that with your future husband too, but for the fun stuff, that’s what I’m for!  
That and telling you you look pretty.”  
Isa rolled his eyes and let out a huff. He knew his best friend was right and he knew it wasn’t fair to just not have wedding simply because he didn’t care about the logistics of it all.  
“Fine... you’re right. I can’t just tell Xemnas that I want to marry him and then not let him have any say in how we get married.  
But that doesn’t mean elopement is entirely off the table...”  
“That’s between you and Xem, but in my humble opinion...”

And that how Axel found himself here. After months of planning, shopping, and arranging, he stood outside his best friend’s room knocking to be let in.  
“Isa, you decent? It’s just me.” He called before letting himself in.  
“Where did you run off to?” Isa asked, sounding almost frantic trying to turn his head to properly chastise his best man.  
Sadly for him, and luckily for Axel, Naminè had a firm grip on the few strands of hair she was plaiting in Isa’s hair, so he wasn’t able to move much.  
“Sorry was trying to find waterproof liner. Didn’t want to cry and get all raccoon eyed and ruin your pictures later.  
Cause we all know I’m gonna cry.  
They’ll be tears of joy, but they’re still gonna fall.”  
“Oh, we know.” Said Xion, as she helped Naminè tuck bits of baby’s breath into Isa’s hair.  
“Alright, you’re done!” Naminè said holding up a mirror so Isa could see her handy work.  
It was a simple looking braid that went at a diagonal, with the tiny white flowers stuck here and there, it looked like stars scattered across the sky.  
“It’s beautiful.” Isa said, already sounding a little emotional. “Thank you.”  
“No problem! Thank you for letting me experiment with it for the last few weeks.” Naminè replied.  
“We’ll let you finish getting ready. See you in a bit!” Xion said as the left the room.  
“So, you just about ready for this?” Axel asked as he handed Isa his tie.  
“Ready for this to be over...”  
“Come on, you don’t mean that. You’re just as excited as everyone else is.”  
“I’m excited to be married. The rest of it I don’t much care for...”  
“Well you just have to get through your ceremony. After that it’s just party time!  
Eat some food, shove cake into each other’s faces, dance a bit. Then you can go and enjoy private time with your new husband.  
You’ve got that nice 2 week honeymoon to look forward to. You just gotta March down that aisle, say some pretty words, kiss the pretty boy, and bam, you’re married.”  
“I know.” Isa took a deep breath. “I know.”  
“So lets do this!” Axel exclaimed handing Isa his coat.  
By the time they were both fully dressed, and situated Myde came to knock at the door at let them know it was time.  
In the end, Isa had gotten his wish of a much smaller, more intimate guest list. Mostly comprised of former organization members, the handful of keyblade welders they knew, and a few others. Small enough the ceremony could easily be held outside in the royal garden. Just as the sun was setting and the stars were starting to shine.  
Axel didn’t even make it all the way down the aisle before he was a teary eyed mess, as he escorted Isa down and handed him off to Xemnas with a quiet and teary warning about how he’d better take good care of his best friend, or else.  
The ceremony itself was short and sweet, and by the end of their vows there was barely a dry eye in the area. But in the end theirs was a story of love conquering all, and proof that nothing couldn’t be overcome with it, not even a handful of their own deaths.  
And with as sappy and joyful as the ceremony had been, it was nothing compared to the party afterwards. Full of food, wine, and dancing.  
Both grooms enjoyed their first official dance dance together, before being drug around to dance with almost every other person present. Which only spurred a few awkward moments and several hilarious pictures. But no picture was as hilarious as the traditional cake exchange, wherein Xemnas had been kind and only smeared a bit of icing on Isa’s nose, Isa’s mischievous side came out in full force and Xemnas ended up with a face full of cake.  
All and all the evening was a wonderful, beautiful celebration of love, and found family. They were merely the first to get married, and surely set off a trend of other couples beginning to discuss such things.  
At some point in the evening the happy couple managed to slip away from the crowd for a bit, probably to let themselves breathe and take it all in, or so Axel assumed.  
It was getting late and people were starting to venture off to their assigned rooms in the castle, or their hotels in the city.  
He wandered the garden a bit hoping to catch a glimpse of them but instead found a smiling Ienzo taking pictures off to the side.  
“Yo, Ienzo, have you seen Isa and Xem anywhere?” He asked as he approached.  
Initially Ienzo hushed him as he waved Axel over with a giggle, then he whispered, “Some one should probably wake them before it gets too late. But I just can’t bring myself to.” Before showing Axel where they sat, hand in hand asleep against each other.  
“Awwwww.” Axel let out before snapping a few quick pictures of his own.  
He slowly approached the sleeping couple, and decided it might be easier, and he was less likely to get decked, if he started with Xemnas.  
“Hey...” he whispered initially. “Wakey wakey sleepyheads.” He said, tapping Xemnas on the shoulder.  
It took a few tries and a couple of seconds, but eventually blue grey eyes slowly blinked open.  
Xemnas stretched and let out a yawn. “What time is it?”  
“Surprisingly early for you to both be asleep...” Axel said. “Only like 11:30 or so.”  
“I guess the excitement from the day has finally caught up with you both.” Ienzo said from behind Axel.  
“I suppose so...” Xemnas said, working creeks out from his neck.  
He looked over at Isa and smiled, before gently kissing him on his temple. Within a few seconds marine eyes fluttered open.  
“Sure, you wake him up and he’s all sweet and docile. If I would have woken him up I would gotten socked.” Axel said from the safety of the other side of Xemnas.  
“You would have probably deserved it.” Came Isa’s sleepy comment. He also yawned and asked, “What time is it?”  
“Almost time for you two to run off and start enjoying your marital bliss.  
Still a few more traditions to take care of. And I imagine you probably both prefer to actually sleep in a bed.”  
“It would be more agreeable.” Xemnas said as he stood and stretched. “I wonder if there is anymore cake and coffee left.”  
“You don’t need more cake or coffee...” Isa said as he also stood.  
“Hey, it’s the man’s wedding. Let him have more sugar and caffeine if he wants.” Axel teased.  
“I should have never let you two get along...” Isa muttered as he followed the others back towards the food.  
“How else is he supposed to pick you up and carry you across the threshold?”  
“I suppose that’s fair...” Isa said as he watch Xemnas go get more cake and coffee.  
He soon returned to his husband’s side with an extra cup of coffee for Isa and an extra large piece of cake, “in case Isa wanted to share”. Which Isa only eyed suspiciously, weary of payback from earlier.  
“Apparently we have forgotten a very important tradition...” Xemnas said between bites. “All the women and half the men are still waiting.”  
“For what?” Isa asked.  
“For you to throw your bouquet.”  
“But I didn’t have a bouquet... I had a best man to walk me down the aisle. If they’d like I could throw him at them. Though I doubt there’d be many who would try for that.”  
“Hey!” Axel said indignantly. “And here I was gonna offer to go procure you a bouquet...”  
“Are you saying you’d prefer if I threw you?” Isa asked.  
Xemnas let out a snort. “I imagine that would be more like throwing a javelin than tossing a bouquet.”  
“Hey! Who’s side are you on!” Axel fussed.  
“The side that has the higher possibility of smoothing me in my sleep...” Xemnas replied.  
Isa gave a thoughtful nod and Axel replied with a “that’s fair.” Before wandering off to gather one of the bouquets Xion and Naminè carried earlier.  
He was able find them both and handed them each to both grooms before making a sort of announcement for all those interested to gather around. Once prompted they both turned away from the crowd and counted to three before tossing the bouquets behind them.  
Elrena all but fought people for one of them and the other gently fell into a very unsuspecting Riku’s lap.  
With that done, one final dance was had for the happy couple before Xemnas literally swept Isa off his feet and carried him bridal style in to the castle. Laughing like a mad man the whole way while Isa put only a minimal amount of effort into fighting him, before giving up and allowing himself to be carried.  
And as it all wound down, and Axel took in the joy, and laughter, and love from all his friends, new and old, he thought , maybe it wasn’t such a bad idea, bringing Xemnas back. Sure it hadn’t worked out exactly the way he wanted it to, and he didn’t have all his best friends in one place, but they were all alive. And healthy, and happy. Even the ones he didn’t realize he had made along the way.  
That was what really mattered after all, right? His friends were his power, and he was theirs. And maybe, just maybe together they all had enough light to keep any of them from falling into darkness again. But if not, they at least had enough to drag each other back.


End file.
